Movies

Short  and Sweet

Fat Rama offers short film fans a movie feast

By Nuttaporn Srisirirungsimakul, Photographs courtesy of Click Radio

Did You Know : At two minutes long, the highly acclaimed Bambi Meets Godzilla is one of the shortest films ever made.

"Short film is becoming a means of expressing themselves for a lot of young people."

There�s no doubt that Thailand�s movie industry is booming these days. The number of theatres across the country are mushrooming, attracting eager viewers with plush emperor-style seats and lavish decor. Some theatres even offer movie buffets to satisfy even the most hardcore of cinephiles.

But the quantity doesn�t always lead to quality. With exception of the major, and sometimes pretty cheesy, Hollywood blockbusters, film buffs still don�t have a whole lot of variety to choose from when heading for a night at the theatre.

Luckily, 104.5 Fat Radio is doing something about it, and at the same time promoting the growth of Thailand�s domestic movie industry.

One day a month, Fat Radio offers film fans its short film showcase, Fat Rama. Short films are, as the name would imply, shorter than the average feature-length film. Because of the length, the films are usually less complex and only follow a limited number of characters and plots. However, short films are known for covering topics that conventional films shy away from.

YOUTH SERVED

Most short films are screened at special short film festivals or as part of a larger international film festival. Fat Rama is one of Thailand�s only venues for showing short films.

�Actually short films have been one of the main interests of the new generation for a while now, but there was no proper place for short film screening,� said Wararit Mangkalanont, DJ and creative director at Fat Radio. �That was why we came up with Fat Rama.�

In it�s two years of existence, Fat Rama has gained a reputation for screening quality, sometimes award-winning films that speak to the younger generation.

�Short film is becoming a means of expressing themselves for a lot of young people,� Bangkok Post film critic Kong Rithdee said. �There is a shortage of places for short films, so Fat Rama is great for young people.�

Wararit agrees, and said that encouraging talented young directors to present their films publicly is one of Fat Rama�s main goals. �We want to support aspiring directors so that they can realise their full potential,� he said.

The short films submitted for Fat Rama come from people from all walks of life, ranging from film students to cartoonists, Wararit said. Some directors have even moved on to bigger things thanks to Fat Rama. Taweewat Wanta�s short film Khun Krabi won a Fat Rama award and he is now working on his first feature-length film, which is scheduled to hit theatres later this year.

VARIETY SHOW

But Fat Rama doesn�t just offer young directors a stepping stone to their dream careers; it also gives viewers a much needed alternative from the usual box office fare.

Watcharaporn Fiat, 21, a regular Fat Rama attendee, said Fat Rama provides a welcome relief from the Hollywood films that dominate most theatres. �It�s a chance for me to watch creative short films from a variety of directors I wouldn�t normally get the chance to see,� she said.

Wararit agrees with Watcharaporn, adding that because of their length, short films directors have to be much more creative than in a typical film. �A director has to find the most effective way to present the film and to convey the messages to the audience within a limited amount of time,� he said. This leads to a huge variety of techniques and storylines, Wararit said.

It is also leading to a resurgence of interest in the art of film- making among Thailand�s young people. And that, whether you are an aspiring movie mogul or just a film freak, is a welcome trend.

Fat Rama is held on the last Wednesday of every month. This month it will be held at 6 pm on October 27 at Grand EGV, Siam Discovery Center. Tickets are free and are available from Fat Radio. They go fast, so it is best to book early at 02 641 5393-4.

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Vocabulary

mushroom (v): to rapidly grow or increase in number
buff (n): a person who is very interested in a particular subject or activity and knows a lot about it shy away from
something (phrasal v): to avoid doing something because you are nervous or frightened
screen (v): to show a movie, etc. in a movie theater or on television
stepping stone (n): something that allows you to make progress or begin to achieve something
fare (n): something, such as food or a product, that is available or on offer
convey (v): to make ideas, feelings, etc. known to somebody
resurgence (n): the return and growth of an activity that had stopped
mogul (n): a very rich, important and powerful person

Idiom

walk of life: a person�s job or position in society