THERE WERE VERY few films from Southeast Asia in any of the sections of this year’s Berlin International Film Festival though Thailand did get a look in with the screening of Pimpaka Towira’s “Prelude to the General” in the short film competition section.

Pimpaka is not new to the festival. Indeed her first feature film ‘One Night Husband” was selected for the Forum Section, while in 2011 her short film ‘Terribly Happy’ competed in the same Berlinale Shorts section.

“The film is a part of my next project, ‘The General’s Secret’,” says Pimpaka of her current feature film project, which in 2013 was selected by the Culture Ministry as part of the Thai pitch to the Cannes Film Festival.

“‘The General’s Secret’ tells the story of a young female journalist who learns about the general’s well-guarded secret from an old masseuse.

“The project is in the process of development. We are still looking for funding. ‘Prelude to the General’ is a part of this project and shows the two main protagonists in an illusory reality,” Pimpaka explains.

In “Prelude to the General”, the journalist warns the old masseuse to run away. Then we see the young woman wandering in a place that could be either fantasy or reality.

Beautifully lensed in 2.35 aspect ratio by cinematographer and short filmmaker Kong Pahurak, “Prelude to the General” has a different feel from Pimpaka’s previous works.

“I want to try another style of storytelling. For composition and framing, we want this film to be like illusory reality, like when we watch a painting that’s trying to look as real as possible.”

The winner of the Golden Bear for Berlinale Shorts this year was “Batrachian’s Ballad” by Leonos Teles from Portugal. “A Man Returned” by Mahdi Fleifel won the Silver Bear Jury Prize, and the Taiwanese short “Anchorage Prohibited” by Chiang Wei Liang picked up the Audi Short Film Award.

But despite not bringing back any prizes, Pimpaka was very happy with her showing at the festival as well as the feedback she got from the audience.

“The feedback was very warm. Many audience members came to talk with me about the filmmaking and content. Arte channel also interviewed me about the film. The audience is looking forward to seeing my feature film project come true”, Pimpaka says.

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