BANGKOK?Filipinos are well-represented at the 7th Bangkok International Film Festival, ongoing in the Thai capital until September 30.

Spearheaded by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand, the festival features three Filipino films in the Southeast Asian competition: Raya Martin?s ?Independencia,? Sherad Anthony Sanchez?s ?Imburnal? and Adolfo Alix Jr.?s ?Aurora.?

Two Filipino films are included in the Southeast Asian Panorama category, as well: Alix and Martin?s ?Manila? and Brillante Ma. Mendoza?s ?Kinatay.?

The trilogy, ?Jeonju Digital Project 2009: Visitors,? features a short film by Lav Diaz, alongside the works of Japan?s Naomi Kawase and South Korea?s Hong San-soo.

According to Festival Daily, the fest?s official publication, the Philippines is the ?new tiger of the international scene ... with its endless supply of [young, fresh] talents.? The article also featured a huge photo of Piolo Pascual, star-producer of ?Manila.?

For this year?s competition, Mendoza is serving as jury member.

?The Bangkok fest is very supportive of Filipino indie films,? Mendoza noted. ?I?ve been attending the festival since 2005, since my debut film ?Masahista.??

In his first Bangkok fest, Mendoza recalled, ?the organizers had to add another screening of ?Masahista? to accommodate all those who wanted to watch.? Mendoza attended the fest again the following year for ?Manoro? and last year for ?Serbis.?

According to its website, the Bangkok fest aims to present the best films from the region.

Said Martin: ?Bangkok has one of the more progressive programming of Southeast Asian films in the region. The quality of films is high and the film culture in Thailand is vibrant.?

Although hit by intrigues (including a corruption case against two former managers from Los Angeles), the festival continues to bring films that competed in such A-list festivals as Cannes, Berlin and Venice to the region.

Case in point: Opening film is Werner Herzog?s ?Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans? which created quite a stir in Venice earlier this month. Included in the main section is Vietnamese filmmaker Thac Chuyen Bui?s ?Adrift,? an entry in the Orizzonti section of Venice.

Alix pointed out: ?It?s a laidback fest and yet it?s a good place to catch up on some good films you?ve missed [in other fests]. It also provides a venue to meet and talk to other Southeast Asian filmmakers.?

This year?s organizers also invited Hollywood actors James Belushi, Kyle Gallner and Ving Rhames.

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