“From Dokmai and Papa” Wins 2024 Short Film of the Year Award by BUDC Alumni
Congratulations to Fluke Korkaet Chanmon, alumnus of the School of Digital Media and Cinematic Arts (Director) and the production team: 13KK, for creating Dokmai and Papa: The Princess's Adventure, which won the "Thai Short Film of the Year 2024" award at the 33rd Annual Thai Excellence Film Awards ceremony by the Entertainment Critics Club in 2024.
The Starting Idea
"I was a kid who had dreams of making films, but I didn't know where this dream would lead me. I started making my first film when I was in grade 8, beginning with shooting using just one phone. After that, I kept making films continuously, but my movies didn't attract much attention - nobody really watched them except ourselves. But my love for filmmaking never died. When I entered university and reached my fourth year, I thought I wanted to make my thesis film like it was the last film of my life. Just in case we don't get another chance to make one, after graduation we might not have work or opportunities to make films anymore, or might not have the breath to continue. So I wanted to make a film that reflected many things about the cinema that I love, and that I felt was truly the last film of my life."
Heart of the Work
"This work made me realize that the most important thing in making a good film isn't necessarily being the best production team or having a huge budget, but the heart that everyone on the team puts into it - both crew and actors. The feelings put into the film's content are what make our film reach the hearts of the audience. When I started making this, I didn't know if it would turn out well or how the audience would feel, but I gave my all emotionally, and when I made it, it was already the best for me."
Award That Boosts Morale
"Previously, I had received 4 awards from the faculty's film season event: Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Cinematography. But this time it's a major award that I wasn't prepared for, far exceeding my expectations. I never thought people would be so engaged and like the film we made to this extent. It makes me reflect on all the past days since the beginning when our work wasn't recognized by anyone. These things have been molded into experiences that continuously develop."
Daring to Think of New Things in Creative Space
"Studying here felt like unlocking my thoughts more, daring to do what I think more. Coming to study here gave us great freedom in creative thinking, making us dare to do new things without being afraid of whether they'll turn out well or whether the audience will like the films we make. And we ourselves don't have to try to be like anyone else - just being ourselves is enough. The university itself helps us do what we love to the best of our ability, never blocking our thoughts."
Dokmai and Papa Synopsis
"The story of Dokmai, a 23-year-old young woman, a recent film graduate who has a desire to make documentary films, so she collaborates to shoot a documentary with her father who works as a director, by going back to meet people in the life video clips according to the script she wrote. That script is the story of 'The journey of a cursed princess who must travel to the bridge of eternity to search for a magical flower to break the curse."
Follow their work on IG: bluegbaebae and YouTube: 13KK production
