May 28, 2024 - Bangkok, Thailand — Changing Climate Changing Lives (CCCL) Film Festival, operating under the umbrella of Tonkla Rak Lok Foundation, announced today 10 short film projects selected for the 2024 CCCL Film Grants Program with the support of CCCL's main sponsors Siam Canadian, Peter Eric Denis and CCCL donors including Michael Herrin, Chris Lowenstein, and Luciano Prantera.
This year, CCCL received 159 project proposals from emerging filmmakers across Southeast Asia. The CCCL selection committee, along with guest judge Dr. Kritsada Boonchai—secretary of the Local Development Institute (LDI) and coordinator of Thai Climate Justice for All (TCJA)—chose 10 outstanding projects that creatively address climate issues. The selected projects are:
ငါတို့နေရာ (OUR PLACE) (Myanmar)
DIR. Theingi Win • PROD. Thida Swe
The documentary will follow U Sein, a farmer in his sixties, who has lost his farmland since 2021 due to erosion by the river. U Sein's family is one of many who have lost their paddy fields to the relentless encroachment of the river. Now, he and his four-member family rely on rented farmland for their livelihood. They own only a house in the village center and live in constant fear of losing what is left of their farm, sources of their livelihood, as the river aggressively consumes more farmland year after year, threatening the future of Nat Yay Kan's farmers.
About the director
Theingi Win is a filmmaker living in Mon State, Myanmar. She was trained in multimedia journalism at Myanmar Journalism Institute (MJI) in 2017.Her photo story “Being Able” about the human rights of people with disabilities was exhibited at Yangon Photo Festival (YPF). Her growing interest in various social life stories and her passion to tell these stories as documentary films made her pursue her studies in filmmaking at Yangon Film School (YFS) in 2020.
ENOUGH (Thailand)
DIR. Absone Oriabel Mesnil • PROD. Tahn Tahntawan
Lila, a woman in her late 20s, follows what seems like a meticulous morning routine, but all is not what it seems.
About the director
Absone began her career in Myanmar with Z Productions, as a producer, assistant director, art Director, and director. She has worked in diverse and impactful projects alongside Myanmar notable personalities, agencies, and clients, such as Sai Sai, Nay Toe, Wutt Mhone Shwe, Mango, Nexlab, Unilever, and KBZ bank. In Bangkok, she gained experience at Greenlight Films as a production coordinator on large scale projects. She is currently working at Lalicorn Agency.
SHEPHERD BOY'S DREAM (Vietnam)
DIR. Nguyen Hoang Viet • PROD. Nguyen Lam Ha
Droughts make the life of sheep and shepherds even harder. Hiep, a shepherd boy from the Cham ethnic group, is one of them. Hiep dropped out of school early to support his family. Today, Hiep will have to walk 30 kilometers to take more than 300 sheep to feed on fresh grass and water. With a pitcher of water, a lunchbox and a pair of rubber slippers, Hiep's journey has begun.
About the director
With eight years of experience as a journalist at Zing News before turning to documentary, director Nguyen Hoang Viet has insights into the characters and different aspects of life. He hoped to bring fresh colors to the documentary industry in Vietnam through high-quality projects and beautiful filming angles. He seeks to explore new stories and subjects that have not been much discussed in Vietnamese documentaries. He has worked on projects produced for organizations like Four Paws and Save Vietnam’s Wildlife.
ON POTOK NA EYENEDE (OUR LAND IS THREATENED) (Philippines)
DIR. Bradley Jason Pantajo • PROD. Carlo Enciso Catu
A young boy from the indigenous community of Dumagat-Remontado learns what it means to live in a land deeply excavated when he and his brothers hear a loud boom in the middle of the forest.
About the director
Bradley Jason Pantajo is an aspiring Filipino filmmaker and theater artist with a bachelor’s degree in performing arts from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Bradley participated in Indiegenius, an initiative of Netflix and IAcademy, a project-based lab focusing on training the next generation of Asian filmmakers. Currently he is part of the Climate Story Lab by Active Vista, British Council, and Picture People.
TOMORROW, TO FEEL (Philippines)
DIR. Maki Makilan • PROD. Aiah Gertos
At the peak of the climate crisis and economic disintegration in the late 2040s Manila, Wax and Phil’s decaying relationship is shaken by Wax’s brother’s sudden arrival to seek transience in their apartment. The couple, forced to halt their lives, navigates clarity amidst scarcity in a decaying economy. They take a pause, retracing an old desire—to feel.
About the director
Maki Makilan is a Negros Occidental-born filmmaker based in Quezon City, Philippines. A recent graduate in film from the University of the Philippines Film Institute. Her film FOUR YEARS AFTER won several awards including Best Picture at the 2022 UP Film Institute’s Black Beret. It was also curated for the Cinemata Visions: Lived Lives in the Present Struggle.
As a queer and immigrant filmmaker, her works interrogate the politics of the personal and the sense of self, proposing and projecting possibilities in multiple spaces, pasts, and futures. Maki currently works as a cinematographer for independent film productions and works on her own independent projects as writer and director.
NOSEBLEED (Thailand)
DIR. Tanathorn Tanalekhaphat • PROD. Tanathorn Tanalekhaphat, Punnawat Charoenlarpkul
Due to toxic air pollution (PM 2.5), a Thai high school girl got a nosebleed that bloodied her white school shirt. She must find a clean shirt before her award-winning poetry reading at the school event.
About the director
Tanathorn graduated from School of Digital Media and Cinematic Arts (Film Analysis and Criticism), Bangkok University. He received a BU Creative Awards scholarship and was also selected as one of the participants in the 2018 Film Leader Incubator (FLY).
Tanathorn has experience writing about film reviews and working on film production. He founded a Facebook page "Cornetto God" and works as an assistant director. His most-recognized work is as the third assistant director for a feature ONE FOR THE ROAD. He also produced short films which were screened at the 60 Second Film Festival and Thai Short Film and Video Festival. In 2013, he was selected to participate in Content Lab. Currently, he works as a content creator for 'Wilaramprampra (Cat Tells the Tales), a platform for short horror films and works as a freelance creative for film promotion.
ภูเขาคำราม (MOUNTAIN ROARS) (Thailand)
DIR. Pobwarat Maprasob • CO-DIR. & PROD. Chonchanok Thanatteepwong
The legend of the sacred well located in the mountain in southern Thailand is engulfed by the sound of explosions and protests from villagers on the other side of the mountain.
About the director
Pobwarat Maprasob is a Bangkok-based filmmaker who makes experimental and avant-garde films critical of Thai society and history. His latest work DID YOU SEE THE HOLE THAT MOM DIG? has screened at Thai and international film festivals.
Chonchanok Thanatteepwong is a filmmaker and artist based in Bangkok, Thailand. She is interested in arts and cinema. Her previous film CRYSTALLISED MEMORY was selected for Thai and International film festivals. She is currently developing her first feature film.
RED OCEAN (Thailand)
DIR. Jessada Khimsook • PROD. Suphachai Thongsak
In Trang province, dedicated teams of marine veterinarians’ fight to save marine endangered animals and the ocean from climate crisis.
About the director
Jessada is interested in documentary filmmaking as it allows him to explore human stories. His previous works include his first short documentary 600 MILES, which has won the Best Documentary Film Award from the 2023 fuse. Kids Film Festival, and his latest documentary film LOST IN MEKONG. He continues his documentary filmmaking and seeks new stories with a new perspective.
อเวจีสีขาว (ULTRAMARINE) (Thailand)
DIR. Thanaphat Puangsuwan • PROD. Ong-on Chongprasit
While a boy's family is having dinner, it suddenly starts raining, turning the entire city white. Buildings begin to collapse, leaving people homeless and causing deaths. The boy tries to repair his house and writes letters seeking help, but his efforts might be in vain. What will he do to survive this situation?
About the director
Thanaphat graduated from King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. His thesis short animation, "SHARENTING," won awards for Best Film, Best Animation, and Best Editing at the fuse Film Festival 2023. Additionally, it received the Payut Ngaokrachang Award (Best Animation) at the 27th Thai Short Film and Video Festival.
เรื่องราวสีดำจากทะเลสีคราม (CHRONICLE OF BLUE) (Thailand)
DIR. & PROD. Issaree Arunprasert
The soldier crab lives in burrows along the shore. When the tide recedes, it emerges to forage for food. In rising tides or when faced with danger, it retreats into its burrow and seals the entrance with sand. As the soldier crabs’ habitat is invaded by humans and severely polluted, its population decreases. Impacts on marine ecosystems are happening without our awareness.
About the director
Issaree is a producer and art director. She studied film production at Vancouver Film School, and film and digital media at KMITL, Thailand. In Vancouver and in Thailand, Issaree had opportunities to work on many shorts, music videos, documentaries, and TV commercials. Her latest short documentary CORDILLERA SONGS won the Jury Prize (Documentary) at CCCL Film Festival 2024. Issaree is also a photographer. She loves telling stories with a series of photographs. Photography has taught her creativity, imagination, flexibility and patience, and given her the artistic foundation for her film career. Currently, Issaree lives in Bangkok, Thailand and works as a producer, director, art director, and writer.
About the guest judge
Dr. Kritsada Boonchai holds a Master's degree in Sociology and Anthropology, as well as a Ph.D. in Political Science from Thammasat University. He currently serves as a secretariat of Local Development Institute (LDI) and as a coordinator of Thai Climate Justice for All (TCJA).
About CCCL Film Festival
CCCL Film Festival is a platform for Thai youth and communities to share their stories of climate impact, resilience, inspiration, and innovation. Founded in 2019, CCCL aims to raise awareness about climate change through the power of short films and inspire action in Thailand and Asia. We organize year-round activities and offer a limited number of filmmaking grants and mentorship to young aspiring filmmakers.
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