Project
Southeast Asia program & Symposium
The current status and future of Southeast Asian short films
Having achieved high levels of economic growth in recent years, “center of growth” Southeast Asia has received much attention from the international community. The Japan Foundation Asia Center was established in April 2014 to promote cultural exchange and collaborative opportunities between Japan and fellow Asian nations. In a joint venture with our festival, SSFF & ASIA and the Asia Center launched a screening program and symposium in 2015 featuring 11 southeast countries to last over the next two years. Last year, we screened works from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and the Philippines, and invited filmmakers from the film industries of these countries to speak at our symposium. This year, our program and symposium will feature short films from Vietnam, Brunei, Thailand, Malaysia, and Myanmar, and will provide insight into what Southeast Asia is up to “now!”
Countries overview
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Capital City: HanoiPopulation: 92,500,000 (2014, United Nations Fund for Population Activities report)
Ethnic Groups: 86% Kinh, other 53 minority ethnic groups
Language: Vietnamese
Religion: Buddhism, Catholicism, Caodaism, others
Prominent Film Figures & films: Phan Dang Di － Director of “Bi, Don’t Be Afraid!” (’10), “Big Father, Small Father, and Other Stories” (’15)
Dang Nhat Minh – Director of “How I long for October” (’84), “Don’t Burn” (’09)
Brunei Darussalam
Capital City: Bandar Seri Begawan
Population: 406,000 (2013, Brunei Darussalam Key Indicators 2013 Release 2: Annual)
Ethnic Groups: 65.8% Malay, 10.2% Chinese, 24% others (2013, Brunei Darussalam Key Indicators 2013 Release 2: Annual)
Language: Brunei Malay
Religion: 67% Islam, 13% Buddhism, 10% Christianity, others
Prominent Film Figures & films: Siti Kamaluddin – Director of “Yasmine” (’14)
Kingdom of Thailand
Capital City: BangkokPopulation: 65,930,000 (2010, Thai National Census)
Ethnic Groups: Majority Thai; Chinese, Malay and others
Language: Thai
Religion: 94% Buddhism、5％ Islam
Prominent Film Figures & films: Apichatpong Weerasethakul – Cannes-prize winning director of “Tropical Malady” (’04), “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” (’10)
Nonzee Nimibutr – Director of “Nang Nak” (’99), “Timeline” (’14)
Malaysia
Capital City: Kuala LumpurPopulation: 29,950,000 (2013, National Census)
Ethnic Groups: 67% Malay, 25% Chinese, 7% Indian (note: in this statistic, Malay represents multiple races, excluding Chinese and Indian)
Language: Bahasa Malay, Chinese, Tamil, English
Religion: 61% Islam (official), 20% Buddhism, 1% Confucius/Taoism, 6% Hinduism, 9% Christianity, others
Prominent Film Figures & films: Yasmin Ahmad – Director of “Sepet” (’04), “Talentime” (’09)
P. Ramlee - Director and Actor of “Do Re Mi” (’66)
Republic of the Union of Myanmar
Capital City: Naypyidaw
Population: 51,410,000 (September 2014, Myanmar government)
Ethnic Groups: 70% Bamar and other small ethnic groups
Language: Burmese
Religion: 90% Buddhism, Christianity, Muslim etc.
Prominent Film Figures & films: The Maw Naing – Director of “The Monk” (’14)
Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi – Founder of the Human Rights Human Dignity International Film Festival and Director of “The Last Poem” (’02), “Floating Tomatoes” (’10)