9 Short Film Projects Selected for the 2025 CCCL Film Grants

May 26, 2025 - Bangkok, Thailand — Changing Climate Changing Lives (CCCL) Film Festival, operating under the umbrella of Tonkla Rak Lok Foundation, announced today 9 short film projects selected for the 2025 CCCL Film Grants Program. The project is supported by Department of Cultural Promotion, Ministry of Culture, THACCA - Thailand Creative Culture Agency, Jim Gulkin, Michael Herrin, Chris Lowenstein/Living Films, and Christopher G. Moore

This year, CCCL received 225 project proposals from emerging filmmakers across Southeast Asia. The selected projects comprise of 5 documentaries, 3 fiction films and 1 animated film. Among them, 5 projects are from Thailand, 2 from the Philippines, 1 from Myanmar, and 1 from Indonesia. All projects will be developed and produced in the program until this October.

The selected projects are:

เก่อชอ ชีวิต - ความหวัง - ช้าง (ELEPHANT - LIFE - SPIRIT) (Thailand)

DIR. Patiparn Damrongkitman • PROD. Thanakrit Pankaew

The documentary follows the Pga K’nyau community in Ban Yaphor, as they face the impact of climate change, a drying river, and changing livelihoods while trying to maintain their connection with the elephants that are central to their way of life.

About the director

Patipan Damrongkitman, a second-year student in the Faculty of Communication Arts, Department of Journalism, Chulalongkorn University. He loves making documentaries and photography. He also works as a freelance producer, director, scriptwriter, and creative director. He also received a grant to make a documentary film from IOM Thailand titled “PAJAYRA”, about the life of a Filipino teacher in Thailand.

ใต้รอยแผล (WOUND) (Thailand)

DIR. & PROD. Pakawat Sukmart

A grandson wipes his grandfather's body with scars all over his body… the scars that cannot be erased, just like the natural wounds at the Blue Lagoon in Khon Kaen, a former quarry that has left only traces of destruction.

About the director

Pakawat Sukmart is an independent filmmaker born in Bangkok, but relocated to Khon Kaen. He graduated from the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, majoring in Film, Thammasat University. His short film “THE SILENCE OF PARADOX” was awarded the Distinguished Prize from the Young Thai Artist Award 2023, and was also screened at the Wildtype 2024.

HIDDEN PARADISE (Thailand)

DIR. Kawin Sirichantakul • PROD. Kanyanat Techotiussanee

Naturalists and lifelong friends, Wan Chittiwat and Professor Kitichate, embark on an extraordinary journey across Thailand, racing against time to document a ‘hidden paradise,’ a uniquely balanced ecosystem threatened by rapid urban development. ธhis eventually becomes a battle to capture and preserve the last untouched wonders of nature outside protected areas.

About the director

Kawin Sirichantakul is a seasoned filmmaker and Senior Video Producer, specializing in documentaries. His latest film “ONE WAY TICKET TO THE TOP” was a finalist in the CCCL Film Festival Documentary Competition. 

He was also selected as Thailand’s representative to produce a documentary on Tonlé Sap, Cambodia, working in collaboration with filmmakers from the CLMV region. Additionally, he won the CP Photo Contest for nature photography at the student level. In 2024, he was chosen to represent Thailand at the WWD Symposium in Singapore, showcasing youth-led conservation efforts.

UP AND GONE (Thailand)

DIR. & PROD. Muendaw Kamontum

The documentary explores the impact of using tight-mesh fishing nets. This type of gear can catch a wide range of marine life and generate huge profits overnight. But in return, it scoops up juvenile sea life, disrupts delicate ecosystems, and severs the deep-rooted bond between fishermen and the sea.

About the director

Muendaw Kamontum was born and raised in Chanthaburi, Thailand. She graduated with a bachelor's degree from Silpakorn University, Faculty of Information and Communication Technology, majoring in Film. Later in 2020, she participated and won a production grant at Purin Pictures’s Short Film Camp. In 2024, she was selected to the Producing Track’ program at Busan Asian Film School in South Korea, to develop her first feature film.

ฝุ่นประกายคล้ายแสงดาว (STARDUST) (Thailand)

DIR. Thanaphat Puangsuwan • PROD. Thanaphat Puangsuwan, Ong-on Chongprasit

A wealthy, self-absorbed celebrity girl who has spent her life ignoring the world’s problems finally decides to take a stand after it disrupts her perfect life.

About the director

Thanaphat graduated from King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. His short animation thesis, "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.

EMERGENCY (Philippines)

DIR. Alyssa Ashley Manugas • PROD. Danielle delos Reyes

In a small fishing barangay in Cebu facing the dwindling resources of the sea and an unforgiving summer, an elderly woman skips her vital medicine to spare her financially struggling family. When she suffers a stroke, her two children must race against an off-season storm and an inadequate healthcare system to save her life.

About the director

Ashley Manugas is a Filipina filmmaker born and raised in Cebu, Philippines. Her sci-fi short film KATAW (2024) is a recipient of the 2024 Oscar M. Lopez’ Mga Kwento ng Klima (Stories About Climate) Short Film Grants. Ash is also a Vision Scholar of 2025 iAcademy’s iNdiegenius Film Lab for her project, MARIA CACAO.

အစိမ်းများသေဆုံးခြင်း (THE LOST GREEN) (Myanmar)

DIR. & PROD. Thida Swe

For Ma Moe’s family, climbing toddy palms is their only source of income, as they own no farmland. As more people migrate, the number of climbers declines. Nearby, toddy palms are increasingly being cut down for furniture, raising Ma Moe’s concern about the loss of toddy palm fields and the future of their livelihood.

About the director

Thida Swe is a Myanmar Filmmaker based in Yangon. Her parents are farmers. After joining Yangon Film School in 2016, she worked on several projects as director, editor, and sound recordist. Her films sparked many international film festivals.

WATER BREAK (Philippines)

DIR. & PROD. Mio Dagsaan

Two construction workers are forced to do construction work for a tech company during the hottest day of the year. One of them collapses due to dehydration under the heat of the sun, causing the other one to find help and water.

About the director

Mio Dagsaan studied Visual Communication at the University of the Philippines Diliman. He did graphic work for some digitally restored films re-released in major international film festivals, and did storyboards & behind-the-scenes photography for movie productions.

TUTU TENO (TUTU TENO: A DANCE WITH THE BEES) (Indonesia)

DIR. James Natbais • PROD. Mariana Yunita H Opat

For a long time, forest honey has been the main source of livelihood for this community in rural Timor Island. Increasingly erratic rainy and dry seasons due to climate change disrupt bee ecosystems and their food sources.  Meanwhile, a traditional leader strives to preserve his community's rituals amidst declining honey yields.

About the director

James Natbais became interested in film after joining a local film community in Kupang, Indonesia, in 2019. He edited several short fiction and documentary films. In 2023, he had the opportunity to study documentary directing at the Indonesia Documentary Lab (Idoclab), organized by Forum Film Dokumenter (FFD) Jogja.

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.