2024 CONTEMPORARY WORLD FILM SERIES
FOURTH FILM OF THE YEAR
‘TAMBOUR BATTANT’ (‘ROLL THE DRUM’), SWITZERLAND
Directed by François-Christophe Marzal
1 Hr 30 Mins
SATURDAY 12 OCTOBER 2024, 4:00 PM
Supported by the Embassy of Switzerland and the Swiss Cultural Fund
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/821294391

This is a multi-layered social comedy that amalgamates many subjects- music, competition, love, family, and even politics, immigration, and the women’s suffragette movement.

The Swiss film is set in a fictional, picturesque town of the ‘canton’ (province) of Valais in the 1970’s, where two brass bands are rehearsing, hoping to perform for the Federal Music Fair, which only takes place once every five years.

In Valais, women also gained the right to vote at the cantonal level for the first time in 1970. This historical event is set against the fictitious tale of the music-competition between the two marching bands, in the lovely Swiss countryside.

The rivalry between the two bands mirrors other rivalries- between two very different men over a woman, between conservative and progressive views about woman-power (gender equality), between the locals of the village and the outsiders who come to work there (immigration-policy). These issues are still very relevant today.

Even the songs played by the bands reflect the clash between the old and new rhythms. The words and actions fly fast in this vibrant drama, with a marvelous ensemble cast.

The director of the movie stated that this was the most “memorable” film he had made. He had a strong message in the story – “I firmly believe that if everyone puts in a little bit of effort, we can build a better community.”

And that, in essence, is what this multi-dimensional political, musical, amorous Swiss drama is all about.
“Roll the drum” is a roll-call for peace and unity in the community.

What the Critics Said:
Le Temps – “The community story told by ‘Tambour Battant’ reflects current concerns, that are far from being confined to the Valais, Switzerland or even Europe.”

The film is in French, with English sub-titles. The Embassy of Switzerland will host a reception of snacks and drinks, after the
screening.

The Ambassador of Switzerland, HE Pedro Zwahlen, will introduce the film.
Don’t Miss the Fourth Film of TK Park’s 2024 Contemporary World Film Series

For Reservations: filmforum17@gmail.com
Ticket-20 Baht
Auditorium will open at 3:30 pm
TK Park (Thailand Knowledge Park)
8th Floor, Central World, Dazzle Zone (Above TOPS Food Hall)
Ratchadamri Road Bangkok-10330
Ph.: 02-2574300
Dress: Smart Casua

Heavy overnight rainfall has caused flash floods, leading to the temporary closure of Mae Sa and Tat Mok waterfalls in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim district. Doi Suthep-Pui National Park announced the closure to ensure public safety, with the waterfalls remaining off-limits until conditions improve.

In Chiang Dao district, the Wang Hai weir collapsed, causing severe flooding in nearby villages. Local authorities, along with army and border patrol units, are inspecting the damage.

Flooding has affected several districts, including Phrao, Samoeng, Chom Thong, and Chiang Mai’s city center. Rising water levels in the Ping River have raised concerns about potential flooding in downtown Chiang Mai, prompting authorities to monitor the situation closely.

The provincial irrigation office and other agencies have set up a monitoring center, ready to open sluice gates along the Ping River to manage the floodwaters if necessary.

Amid growing tensions in the Middle East, several international airlines have suspended or rerouted flights to avoid the affected airspace. This precautionary action has impacted flights to countries like Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan, with some carriers extending cancellations into 2025.

Airlines such as Air France, Lufthansa, and KLM have canceled flights to cities including Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Amman. KLM’s low-cost subsidiary, Transavia, has halted flights to Tel Aviv until March 2025. Cathay Pacific has also suspended Tel Aviv flights until March 27, 2025, while Delta Air Lines has paused its New York-Tel Aviv route through the end of the year. Other airlines, including Ryanair and SunExpress, have temporarily suspended services to cities like Beirut and Tel Aviv.

In addition, carriers like United Airlines and Air India have indefinitely suspended flights to Tel Aviv due to safety concerns. Low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Vueling have also postponed services, with easyJet resuming Tel Aviv flights in March 2025 and Vueling delaying operations until early next year.

Several countries have issued travel advisories about airspace safety, with the UK advising airlines to avoid Lebanese airspace until at least November 4 due to increased military activity. Airlines are closely monitoring the situation and are expected to make further adjustments as the conflict evolves.”

The direct flight service between Pune and Bangkok, which was operational before the pandemic, is set to make a comeback as Air India Express finalizes plans for a winter 2024 launch. This service was halted during the initial phase of COVID-19 when international flights were suspended.

Route Finalization Underway for Pune-Bangkok Direct Connection

Air India Express is currently coordinating with both Pune and Bangkok airport authorities regarding slot availability for this international route. Both airports have confirmed the required slots are available, paving the way for the resumption of the flight.

Post-Pandemic Return of Pune-Bangkok Flights

Before the pandemic, direct flights between Pune and Bangkok were operational but ceased following global travel restrictions. With the recent inauguration of Pune Airport’s new terminal, there is hope for increased international flight services, including the much-anticipated Bangkok connection.

Expansion of Pune’s International Connectivity with Bangkok Route

Pune currently offers international flights to Dubai and Singapore. The addition of the Bangkok route would enhance the city’s international connectivity, making Thailand the third country with a direct connection from Pune and further solidifying Pune’s status as a growing international travel hub.

Expected Growth in Air Traffic at Pune Airport

Pune Airport handles an average of 190 flights daily, catering to around 35,000 passengers. With the introduction of the new Bangkok service, this figure is expected to rise. According to Santosh Dhoke, Director of Pune Airport, the necessary slot availability has been communicated to Air India Express, and the reintroduction of this route is likely to further boost international traffic to the Asia-Pacific region.

Bangkok, Thailand – 16.9.2024 – The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Thailand proudly celebrated Ganesh Utsav, a vibrant festival honoring Lord Ganesha, the deity of wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune. The festivities took place from September 14–15, 2024, at the Nimibutr Arena, Bangkok.

In a first, a parallel celebration was also held in Pattaya, Chonburi, organized by Mr. Deo K. Singh, Vice President of VHP, in collaboration with the Bhartiya Community of Pattaya. The grand event concluded with Visarjan on September 16, 2024, drawing crowds of Indians, Thais, expatriates, and tourists, all enchanted by this showcase of Indian culture and tradition.

Ganesh Utsav, a significant Hindu festival, unites communities in celebration and devotion. This year, VHP Thailand hosted various events, including cultural performances, devotional music, and community service, emphasizing cultural heritage, unity, and goodwill.

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Event Highlights:

• Grand Ganesh Idol Installation: A beautifully crafted, eco-friendly Ganesh idol served as the centerpiece of the festivities, drawing admiration from attendees.
• High Profile Representation: The event attracted attendees from the Indian community, local Thais, and expatriates. High-level representatives from the embassies of India, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste, alongside officials from Thai government ministries, TCEB, and top Thai businesses, graced the occasion.
• Pattaya Celebration: The Honorable Mayor of Pattaya and other local dignitaries attended the Pattaya celebration, lending their support to the multi-cultural event and requesting its annual recurrence.
• Cultural Performances: Traditional Indian music, classical dances, and bhajans by local artists and a troupe from Kolkata captivated the audience.
• Interactive Workshops: Educational sessions focused on clay modeling of Ganesha and Mandala creation, offering deeper insights into the festival’s cultural and spiritual significance.
• Visarjan Parade: The celebration concluded with an emotional farewell to Lord Ganesha, as devotees paraded a grand chariot through central Bangkok in a spectacular Visarjan procession.

“We are delighted to bring Ganesh Utsav to the heart of our community in Thailand,” said Mrs. Vaishali Tushar Urumkar, President of VHP Thailand. “This festival embodies joy, reflection, and unity. VHP Thailand is committed to showcasing the beauty of Hindu Dharma and traditions through such meaningful events.”

About VHP Thailand:

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Thailand is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Hindu cultural values, fostering community welfare, and encouraging interfaith dialogue. Through various cultural, religious, and educational initiatives, VHP Thailand aims to strengthen community bonds and preserve the rich heritage of Hindu traditions in Thailand.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Thailand is delighted to announce the 17^th  Annual Ganesha Utsav, a grand celebration of Lord Ganesha’s birthday.   Ganesha is the God of Wisdom and Prosperity.

This year’s festivities will be held from

Saturday, 14^th September 2024 to Sunday, 15^th September 2024

at the Nimibutr Stadium, adjacent to MBK Center, Bangkok, with a vibrant lineup of cultural performances, religious ceremonies, and community activities.

The Ganesha Utsav is a time for devotees to come together and honor Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity symbolizing wisdom, prosperity, and the removal of obstacles. The 17^th  edition of this revered festival promises to be a spectacular showcase of devotion, unity, and cultural heritage.

Highlights of the 17th Ganesha Utsav include:

• Grand Ganesh Chaturthi Pooja: Begin the festivities with an elaborate pooja led by esteemed priests, offering prayers and seeking blessings for peace and prosperity.
• Cultural Performances: Enjoy traditional dance, music, and drama performances by talented local artists, celebrating the rich tapestry of Hindu culture and mythology.
• Sing and rejoice along with a big group from ISKCON.
• Art and Craft Exhibitions: Explore a vibrant array of art and crafts inspired by Lord Ganesha and Indian traditions, including intricate Ganesha idols, paintings, and decorative items.
• Community Feast: Relish a delectable spread of traditional Indian and Thai dishes (all vegetarian) prepared with love and care, bringing the community together in celebration.
• Family Fun Activities: Participate in engaging activities and workshops for all age groups, including moulding clay Ganeshas and making Mandalas.

The VHP Thailand invites all members of the community, Indians, Thais and other expatriate residents of Thailand, to join in the festivities and experience the joy and significance of Ganesha Utsav. This annual event serves as a bridge to connect diverse cultures and foster a sense of unity and harmony within the community.

Event Details:

Date: Saturday, 14^th September 2024

Time: 08.30am

            Start with Installation and Prayers to Lord Ganesha, followed by prayer ceremonies. 

            Singing and chanting will continue

The Cultural programme starts on stage at 6.00 pm

There will also be an Art & Craft Tent where registered participants will use Clay to make Ganesha idols. 
As also a unique and beautiful Indian style of Mandala.

Arrival of Invited Guests at 6.30am, followed by a cultural performance on the stage with local children, adults showcasing dances from various parts of the country.  There will be performances by professional dancers from India.

• Date: Sunday 15^th September
  • 12.00 Noon     Prayers and festivities, music and free-flow dancing
  • 01.00 pm         Procession begins.  Route as per map below
  • 03.30 pm         Boat sails for Ganesha Visarjan
• Entry:  Entry to the venue is free.  For specific activities, registration is necessary.

Lekha Shankar

It looks like a cultural rollercoaster is ahead for Bangkok, as the year slowly comes to an end.

Apart from the International Festival of Dance and Music, in September and October,

(https://www.bangkokfestivals.com) , the mega Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) has just announced its dates – from 24 October, for three full months, until 25 February.

This is the city’s most extensive art extravaganza, now in its fourth edition, which this year boasts of 76 artists from 39 countries.

These include two top artists/sculptors from India- George K and Ravinder Reddy (his striking bronze image of an Asian woman, has been a permanent image outside Central World for a long while), who will be attending BAB.

There is also the Indian-American artist Chitra Ganesh, and the renowned Brit-Indian artist Anish Kapoor whose book was released at the last BAB, and whose installation will become a permanent exhibit at this year’s BAB.

The Biennale will be spread over 11 venues in Bangkok-city, which includes galleries, museums, malls, as also Buddhist temples and the great Chaophaya River.

BAB  is noted for its unique themes, and this year it is ‘Nurture Gaia’, where ‘Nurture’ deals with  Nature, environment, climate change, and ‘Gaia’ ,the Earth-Mother, deals with upheavals, gender, feminism, and much else.

Needless to say, it’s a subject with much scope for discussion, during the talks, workshops, interactions with global artists, that are a highlight of this mega art- event.

Among the Curators, is the legendary performance-artist Marina Abramovic who has been attending every edition of BAB.

Artistic Director of BAB, Prof Apinand Poshyananda has a close link with the art-scene in India. He personally selected the two Indian artists, this year, and visited the Kochi Biennale, last year.

He stated that this year’s BAB was “More grandiose and challenging” than the previous ones.

The last word came from Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi, CEO of Thai Bev Co, the chief sponsor of BAB . He described the mega art-extravaganza as dealing with

“ The planet, people, partnership, and peace!” Great words, from a business tycoon with a deep passion for art.

For more details of BAB, check https://www.bkkartbiennale.com/

November features two important cultural events- the World Film Festival of Bangkok, from 8 November  -17 November , organised by the Nation media-group, and making a welcome come-back, with its indie films and film-makers. Many Indian films have been shown at this festival during the long tenure of its ardent Indophile director, the late Victor Silakong, and renowned film-maker Shyam Benegal was given a major award. Current director Dom Saron has selected 80 films for this year’s edition whose theme ‘New Horizons’ promises many new cinematic excitements.

For more details, check www.worldfilmbkk.com

November is also the month for the yearly KHON production, supported by the Queen’s Support Foundation, a spectacular show, with a huge cast, grand sets, live music, hi-tech effects. The Khon-dramas centre around stories from the  ‘Rama Kien’ (the Thai ‘Ramayana’).This year’s drama is  titled ‘ Chakra Avatar’ ,and centres around the kingly qualities of  King Rama, right from his childhood. It’s a drama befitting the grand celebrations of the Thai King Rama X’s auspicious 72nd birthday, this year.

The Dates for the Khon-drama are from 7 November-8 December.  The Tickets are always sold out- so make sure you get them early (www.thaiticketmajor.com)

So, fasten your seat-belts, for the rich and varied cultural rollercoaster ahead.

With this being the  high tourism season in the city, it is a good time for foreign/Indian  tourists  to partake in the many  cultural excitements of  Bangkok too.

Bangkok’s biggest and best-known international cultural festival opens in the city, this weekend

By Lekha Shankar

Bangkok’s biggest cultural extravaganza, the yearly International Festival of Dance & Music, opens this weekend, and for the next two months, the city will see a grand range of musical and dance shows from around the world

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There are many ‘Remarkable Firsts’ this year, according to the Managing Director of the Festival, Rasina Uberoi, daughter of  noted Thai-Indian publisher and cultural coordinator Kukoo Uberoi.

After all, this is the year celebrating the Thai King’s auspicious 72^nd birthday.  

The Festival is also an important part of the Thai Govt’s   ‘Soft Power’ initiatives in the country.

While there are smaller cultural festivals around the country, this is the only example of a mega ‘international’ music and dance festival in Thailand.

The international countries partaking in the Festival, this year, are France, Russia, Israel, Japan, Uzbekistan, the UK and USA.

One certainly misses the presence of India, who have fielded many brilliant artists at this festival.

But this is a good opportunity for Indian tourists flocking into the country, to catch some of the international cultural shows, for the next two months.

The Festival opens the coming weekend, with a rarely seen ballet on Marie Antoinette performed by the Malandain Ballet Biarritz from France, with music by the splendid
Opera Royal Chateau de Versailles Orchestra. The contemporary ballet, with grand sets, music, dances, marvellously resurrects the tumultuous life of one of the most famous queens in French history.

Among the many exciting ballets at this year’s Festival, Swan Lake is top of the list.Tchaikovsky’s much-loved ballet is hugely popular in Thailand, and has been performed almost every year at the two-decade festival.

This year, the legendary ballet is being performed by the original Bolshoi Ballet Co themselves, which is a huge ‘first’ for the Festival.

There’s a second version of Swan Lake, this time on ice, by the renowned Imperial Ice Stars from UK, who have popularized these classical ballets on ice, at more than 31 countries around the world.

The Imperial Ice Stars also perform Peter Pan on Ice, the famous story of the boy who never grew up. This will definitely attract family audiences, who are a new target market of the Festival.

The great Novosibirsk Ballet troupe is the second important Russian group performing at this year’s Festival, and they have two spectacular ballets lined up, Spartacus and Don Quixote, with a grand cast of nearly 120 artists.

A ballet troupe, making their debut at the Festival, is Japan’s premier ballet-company, the Tokyo City Ballet, who are performing the ever-popular Nutcracker Ballet, which should also attract family audiences.

One of the special features of Bangkok’s International Festival of Dance and Music is their own Student out-reach programs, with Master Classes and Workshops for various schools, and also special performances for underprivileged kids. This is a very laudable addition to this hi-profile Festival.

Among the modern dance-troupes at this year’s Festival, is the Paul Taylor Dance Co from the US, who have performed in more than 600 cities of the world.

The Vertigo Dance Company from Israel, is a cutting-edge dance-company noted for its innovative choreography and multimedia forms.

There is only one Music group this year, from a country making its debut at Bangkok’s best-known cultural Festival.

This is the State Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan, who will be playing out Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 5, and also a violin masterpiece from Faust.

Last but not the least, comes a unique collaboration between Italy and China, to celebrate 100 years of the great Italian composer Giacomo Puccini.

The renowned China National Opera House, with nearly 200 Chinese musicians and dancers, will enact Puccini’s marvelous operas   La Boheme and Turandot, and they will be accompanied by Soprano and Tenor singers from Italy.

This rare East-West collaboration is easily the artistic ‘scoop’ of Bangkok’s best-known cultural festival, this year.

To quote Rasina Uberoi, the Managing Director of the Festival “ This year’s Festival exemplifies how the arts transcend borders and unites people.”

For more details of the Festival, check

www.bangkokfestivals.com

For Ticket Bookings,

https://www.thaiticketmajor.com