The Embassy is pleased to announce that the Philippine entry entitled “How to Die Young in Manila” was given the Best ASEAN Short Film Award by the jury of the ASEAN Short Film Competition held during the 7th Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival on 8 – 13 December 2021 at the Paragon Cineplex, Siam Paragon in Bangkok. The film is about a young boy who braves the streets of nighttime Manila as he trails a pack of young hustlers who then draw him into their strange world of death and desire.

In addition to the ASEAN Short Film category which had 14 entries, the Festival presented films in two other categories, the SEA Project Pitch with 8 entries, and selected special films from Southeast Asia plus China, Hong Kong and South Korea, whose three films premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2021.

H.E. Minister of Culture Ittiphol Kunplome presided over the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Festival on 8 December and 13 December 2021 respectively, which was attended by members of the Diplomatic Corps, officials from the National Film and Video Committee, the National Federation of Thai Film Associations and other representatives from film-related agencies. END