The Second Science Film Festival 2006

Organisers, partners, and sponsors, high-ranking guests from the realms of politics, economy, and culture as well as about 500 interested guests witnessed an entirely successful Opening Ceremony of the 2nd International Science Film Festival in Thailand at the Science Centre for Education, Ekamai, on 20th November 2006. Felicitous introductory talks, breathtaking effects and a critically acclaimed opening film made the opening a truly remarkable event.

Dr. Christoph Brümmer, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Thailand, Pierre Colombier, Counsellor for Culture, Science and Development at the French Embassy, Dominikus von Pescatore, Chief Executive Officer of Bayer Thai, and Prof. Chachanat Thebtaranoth, Vice President of the National Science and Development Agency (NSTDA) perfectly set the mood for the audience with their opening remarks. Prof. Surin Phongsupasamit, President of the Institute for the Promotion of Science and Technology (IPST) and Prof. Wichit Srisa-an bestowed the first prices for a digital photography contest preceding the festival. Subsequently, Prof. Srisa-an opened the festival along with the previous speakers in a spectacular way, including multiple flash photography, raining confetti, and a 3D-animated film. This was followed by one of the highlights of this year’s program: the Austrian production “Ants – Nature’s Secret Power”, an exciting journey into the world of the most successful insects on our planet – using unprecedented camera techniques, groundbreaking research and explanations by the leading ant expert, Dr. Bert Hölldobler, Professor Emeritus of Harvard and Würzburg universities. For this award-winning feature, the Opening Ceremony provided a most suitable context.

In this year, the International Science Film Festival in Thailand is in its second edition. The festival’s focus has broadened significantly to include over 60 films from eight European and five Asian countries. The Science Film Festival is the main project of the Goethe Institut Bangkok’s program section in close cooperation with the French Embassy in Bangkok and IPST. Main partners, as also already mentioned above, are Bayer Thai and NSTDA. The organisers would like to thank all visitors who attended the Opening Ceremony and look forward to further success in the course of the festival’s program.

With good corporation from all the organizers and partners, the second science film festival Thailand closed with great success and enormous interests of over ten thousand visitors.
The closing ceremony, organized by the French Embassy in cooperation with NSTDA, celebrated partners and friends and bestowed the film awards on the winning films.

BAYER Best Science Film Award was given to Quarks und Co. : Climate Change. The jury commented: “The subject matter should be of great concern to all countries and their citizens.  The film does not bring to the audience’s attention scientific facts alone, but also evokes the seriousness and exigency of the global situation affecting every single life on earth.  The production team succeeds in vividly portraying the causes and effects of global warming as well as measures that need be taken to manage the imminent catastrophe.  While the film deals with a serious topic, the 45-minute production is easy to understand and captivating.  Focusing on a topic that is inseparable from our daily living, it deserves the attention of all human beings regardless of age, race, rank, and profession.”

The Ecology Award was given to: Ants! -  Nature’s Secret Power.  The jury wrote:  “An hour passes by quickly if it is spent watching this film which takes a closer look at these most common tiny creatures - ants.  In other words, the film succeeds in capturing the audience’s attention from the beginning to the end with the wonders of the ants.  Thanks to the great efforts of the production team, the ants’ social orders and functions become visible and easy to comprehend to the audience who is left in awe at the sight of the gigantic achievements of the ants.  While the film fits any of the five categories, the jury considers it most fitting for the ecology award because of its subject matter.”

The Discovery Award was rendered to The Mysteries about Korin. “The film follows the use of scientific process and method to demystify old beliefs about 300-year-old paintings of a renowned Japanese painter.  This film is outstanding in describing the scientific process and how it can be applied to culture.  Art enthusiasts and non-science audience will see how science can be used for in-depth study of the arts.  After all, arts and science do mix.” 

The Youth and Adult Film Award was bestowed upon Magically simple – a Second Life for Our Rubbish.  The jury found out: “Films on waste recycling are no longer uncommon, but this film helps the audience to see tangible results of reuse of waste.  Each person disposes of waste on a daily basis.  Youths and adults should be made more aware of the impacts of their waste disposal behaviour and how they may contribute to saving the environment and the planet.”

The fifth award of the Second Science Film festival was the Children and Family Award. It was provided to Planète Poux, The Invisible Invaders. The Jury concluded: “Of all the award winning films, Planete Poux is the most fun to watch.  The film is creative and effective in story telling.  It is a visual adventure throughout with reconstruction of scenes and photos from electron microscope and temperature sensitive camera. Children and their families will enjoy learning more about these parasites from this film.”

Furthermore, the festival also bestowed the science communication awards to Thai students who participated in the Science Communication Semiar in August 2006. The first prize winner who also received a flight ticket to Germany was Mr. Athipatai Suwan, a student of the Technical College Thanyaburi, the owner of the computer and multimedia production named "C60 - The Little Big Thing ". The first running up prize bestowed to Miss Amphai Indr-jorhor, a student of Khonkaen University, the owner of the print production (Children's book) named "Science for Fun Vol. 1:  Nanometre & My Mother and Vol. 2: Buckyball in My Garden" The second running up prize bestowed to Mr. Kittiphong Wanasap, a student of  Khonkaen University, the owner of the print production (Pop-Up book) named "Buckyball - The wonderful Ball in the World of Nanotechnology"