By: Laoconnection.com, February 12, 2024
New Name
Two years ago, the Luang Prabang Film Festival had to change its name. For unknown reasons, local Lao officials made the ask to have it changed shortly before the 2022 film festival was set to open.
At that time, the film organization agreed so that they could proceed with their opening. Officially, it's now known as Blue Chair. The new name was a nod to their existing logo and ubiquitous plastic blue chairs used at the film screenings.
In the past 4-5 years the organization faced many difficulties including operational challenges in-country, the COVID-19 shutdown, high inflation, and change in donor interests. Those reasons negatively affected the organization's financial viability.
People involved in the organization have also changed hands as some moved on to other ventures and new individuals brought in to help manage and oversee.
In 2022, they acknowledged then there would be no film festival for 2023 and that perhaps for 2024 it might return. As such, it has changed from an annual event to a bi-annual one.
Currently still unknown
It's now 2024. So far there's been no word if another film festival event will happen. Their website remains un-updated since 2022. However, their Facebook page is still updated regularly with film related events in Laos but again no word on their own film festival.
Historically, the event would be set to occur in December with organizers beginning work in March.
Background
The film festival was originally founded in 2010 by Gabriel Kuperman, an American graduate in media studies. Currently, it appears that Kuperman is no longer associated with the organization he helped found 14 year ago.
However, at its height, the event would annually screen dozens of films from Laos and across the southeast Asian region attracting thousands of movie goers to the historical city of Luang Prabang. The event was the first of its kind in the country when it originally started. It also included live performances, workshops and a grant program that supported Lao film makers.
We certainly hope that it returns and has great success!
- Laoconnection.com
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