When Todd first mentioned Pod Anon's Bangkok Love Story, offering up the trailer and a music video, I took note. Todd wrote: "[T]he roaming camera and gorgeous cinematography somehow bring Hou Hsiao-Hsien to mind."
TLA Releasing has acquired all theatrical, home video, television and VOD entertainment rights for Bangkok Love Story's North America and United Kingdom distribution. The film will be released in the summer of 2008 through the TLA Releasing label.
Bangkok Love Story tells the story of Maek (Rattanaballang Tohssawat), an assassin who is sent to kill Iht (Chaiwat Tongsaeng); but—when a twist of fate brings the men together—Maek refuses to kill Iht and takes a bullet in an ensuing gunfight. Iht helps Maek back to a safe house and nurses him back to health. A bond develops and the two men become emotionally attached. Confused—since Maek's life as an assassin doesn't allow him emotional attachments, especially with his assigned target—Maek attempts to leave but Iht will not give up on him. And when Maek goes back to his boss to rectify the situation and Iht suddenly appears, the end result is a bloody gunfight that will pit enemies, friends and lovers against each other. The film also stars Suchao Pongwilai of Ong-Bak Warrior fame.
Bangkok Love Story had a successful theatrical release in Thailand opening on September 13, 2007 and is in competition at the 34th Brussels International Film Festival along with being featured as the Opening Night selection for the 2007 Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival.
I've been waiting for someone to pick it up! Summer 2008 is tooo long!
Sounds like The Killer, but with a gay angle, leaving aside the Chow Yun fat/Danny Lee homo-erotic friendship in said film :P
Thanks Michael!
I've done some digging, and still can't find out for sure: It could be the Brussels International Independent Film Festival (http://www.centremultimedia.org/English-pages.107.0.html), which runs Nov 6-11 but doesn't appear to have a schedule yet.
There was a Brussels International Film Festival from 1974 to 2000, and it was succeeded in 2001 by the Brussels European Film Festival. It was held already this year, in the spring.
I have seen a report in the mainstream Thai media which refers to the film being entered in the Brussels International Independent Film Festival.
A Thai film website (see link below),which quoted this website as its source, also mentions the same film festival.
Poj Anon said the festival's managing director, Robert Malengreau, visited Bangkok last month to watch Thai movies. He saw 'Friends' during his visit, and decided to enter it in the film festival. Poj is likely to attend both the Brussels and Hong Kong festivals to show his film.
http://www.deknang.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=624
Finally, here's a blog post I have written on the TLA deal. You can read much more about the film at the same blog: over the last 18 months, I must have written at least 30 posts on the film, based on articles in the Thai media.
http://bkkmindscape.blogspot.com/2007/11/friends-heads-overseas.html
Great input, Bkkdreamer. 30 posts??!! Wow. I take it you're looking forward to seeing the film, if you haven't already?
Hi everyone. I'm a movie-goer from Brussels. We have here many film festivals (among those are: Brussels' European Film festival http://www.fffb.be/ - Festival of Fantasy Film http://www.bifff.org and the Brussels Independent Film Festival where I saw "Bangkok Love story" on Friday. Two days later, on Sunday night (Nov. 11th) I was at the Festival closing session and I'm happy to tell "Bangkok Love Story" got the festival top prize! The filmmaker and one of his actor (Weeradit Srimalai, who play Iht's brother) were indeed in Brussels.
Nivas66, thanks for the timely tip!! Interesting that won top prize. Did you see anything else we should keep an eye out for?