9 Film Fest – The number 9 can change your life.

Step up to your dreams. That’s the 9 Film Fest’s philosophy, but not just of the festival – it’s a shared mantra with the organising founder & film lover, Brian Bennett.

In a small café in the Exchange Tower on the corner of Sukhumvit Rd, Brian softly infers to me, in his own relaxed way, that despite the size of the project he’s taken on he feels no pressure. Initially, I’m skeptical, despite admiring his laid back projection, but as he explains his history from behind a Mocha, I come to understand. This is a man who’s been here before.

In 1999 Brian founded the Bangkok Film Festival, Thailand’s very first celebration of cinema. He saw the opportunity to introduce international film makers big and small to the ever increasing Thai market, but was primarily fueled by his own personal passions for independent cinema. A passion that is still ever present, despite the occasional set back here and there. He was setting trends back then, and is continuing to do so now, 11 years on and with the 9 Film Fest, he’s opening new doors.

The 9 Film Festival is essentially, a 9 minute Oscars – a chance for film makers to prove their worth with short films. 9 is the central theme: the films must be no longer than 9 minutes titles to end credits, and the number 9 (or a ‘9 Signature Item or 9SI’ as Brian puts it to me), must feature in the film in some way. Those are the two main guidelines asked of the entrants, otherwise they are free to be as creative as they like. Not just with themeas & narratives, but with filming techniques & methods also. They can be entered from any part of the World, in any language, with the only stipulation on language being that they must have at least English subtitles. Brian and his team will add Thai subtitles if the entrant is unable to.

Many other festivals have short film categories, but this is Thailand’s first exclusively short festival, and Brian is convinced it’s catering to people’s modern day needs. People today do indeed have short attention spans. Life is moving faster and faster and time is becoming a valuable asset; short films deliver to people in the fast lane, and this film festival certainly also hopes to do the same.

Uniquely, it will all happen on the same day (28th of May) for the 9 Film Fest, with the screenings at Paragon Park being followed with the awards ceremony, sandwiched with live music & entertainment. The judges are renowned Thai film-makers Prince Chatri, Jareuk Kalijareuk, Nonzee Nimbutr, Pen ek Ratanarueng, Chalida Uabumrungjit, Michael Shaowanasai, and “Kaos” Wych Kaosyananda, who will select 9 finalists to battle it out for the various cash prizes on offer.

Indeed, the value of the prizes surely provide enticement enough (Best Short Film walks away with THB 100,000), but the 9 Film Fest is offering more than just cash. MCOT will be screening the 9 films that make the final (possibly on Ch 9), so it’s a chance to get seen as well as the kudos of a trophy & check. Again, we’re back on the Festival’s theme – ‘Stepping Up to Your Dreams’: The word ‘9’ in Thai is pronounced ‘gow’ which is also a word meaning ‘to step forward’, so this Film Fest is giving talented film-makers the chance to do just that. The number 9 can change someone’s life indeed.