"Love Returns After Many Years" Premieres at Taipei Film Festival; Director Attends Panel Discussion

Reported by Chen Tzu-yin / Taipei

Thai cinema experienced a golden age in the 1960s and 1970s, declined in the 1990s, but has made a strong comeback in the past decade. This resurgence is due to the Thai government's renewed strategic focus on the film industry, emphasizing quality refinement and offering incentives such as tax reductions to encourage foreign films to shoot in Thailand. This year, during the 2014 Taipei Film Festival, the Thai Trade Office invited Lee Chatametikool, director of the film "Love Returns After Many Years," to Taiwan for a close encounter with movie fans.


▲The Thai Trade Office invited Lee Chatametikool, director of "Love Returns After Many Years," to Taiwan to meet fans up close, aiming to encourage international film crews to shoot in Thailand and seek out top-tier local teams. (Photo / Provided by the organizer)

"Love Returns After Many Years" is the directorial debut of Lee Chatametikool, who previously served as editor for Cannes Palme d'Or winner "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives." The film is set against the backdrop of the 1997 financial crisis that swept through Thailand, depicting the helplessness felt by families across society in the face of economic hardship—whether in work, studies, or relationships.

Bhavna Devi, Director of the Thai Trade Office, stated that Thailand’s film industry—encompassing pre-production, shooting, and post-production—is internationally renowned. Last year alone, 138 Japanese film crews shot in Thailand, along with 29 from China, 27 from South Korea, and 7 from Taiwan. Bhavna noted that Thailand’s animation industry can be divided into in-house productions and outsourced projects, both of which demonstrate high technical skill and refinement. For example, Monk Studio’s latest animated film "Nine" won Best Animation at an international film festival, and Ms. Fawn Veerasunthorn’s storyboarding contributed to Disney’s Oscar-winning "Frozen." Bhavna encourages international filmmakers to shoot in Thailand or collaborate with its talented film teams.


▲Bhavna Devi, Director of the Thai Trade Office (right), and Director Lee Chatametikool (left). (Photo / Taken by reporter Chen Tzu-yin)