Tiny Luang Prabang, Laos former royal capital, is ready to welcome its third edition of its film festival due to take palce from December 1st to 5th. The festival is increasingly turning into an important cultural event in the Greater Mekong Sub-region.
LUANG PRABANG- The Luang Prabang Film Festival (LPFF) is an annual celebration of filmmaking in Southeast Asia that aims to educate Lao people about film as a means of cultural expression and communication, and to support a nascent local industry and art form. Since 2010, the LPFF has supported and engaged local filmmakers seeking to develop the domestic industry and encouraged Southeast Asian filmmakers to contribute to an exchange between regional film industries. The film festival is so far the only one to be exclusively dedicated to film productions made in Southeast Asia.
Featuring titles selected by the Motion Picture Ambassadors (MPAs), the line-up reflects the best of the region’s films of the last five years, with a film to represent each country in Southeast Asia.
The Luang Prabang Film Festival presents a unique opportunity for travelers to experience contemporary culture in Lao’s historic former capital. A charming but rather sleepy town, Luang Prabang has no cinema theatre and the festival is also seen as an opportunity to bring an important piece of contemporary culture to the small city. Screenings are due to take place in indoor and outdoor venues across the city, juxtaposing ancient structures against modern film, and allowing travellers to enjoy two very distinct aspects of the region simultaneously.
The festival is seen as a perfect time to bring travellers to the discovery of the UNESCO-listed old city. Thailand’s based Backyard Travel is one of the few tour operators which created a special three-day tour of Luang Prabang taking place during the festival.
The package includes accommodation in Luang Prabang at the luxurious ad stylish Villa Maly, access to the film festival and a half-day river cruise on the Mekong. Guests can also choose to attend the VIP opening ceremony of the event – the proceeds of which go directly back to the Luang Prabang Film Festival organizers in ongoing support of the arts in Southeast Asia. VIP ticket-holders have access to screenings, workshops and all scheduled festival projects.
Outside of screening times, the tour includes visits to the most important Luang Prabang sights, including the Pak Ou Caves on the Mekong River, the National Museum and the beautiful Wat Mai temple.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
