Vision
Since its inception in 2009 as the Luang Prabang Film Festival, Blue Chair has operated as a non-profit cultural organization committed to the celebration of Southeast Asian film, as well as to the growth of local and regional film communities.
Our current name is simply the image of a blue resin chair, signalling our devotion to providing access to great cinema in a relaxed, world-class context.
Cultural Expression
With support from like-minded organizations, we seek to inspire expression and cross-cultural communication through film. We offer a venue for the best of Southeast Asia’s most distinct and unique voices.
Mutual Exchange
The festival provides an exciting forum for international exchange, where filmmakers share ideas, trends, and techniques. All great films start with great ideas. We cultivate discussion around those ideas through various panels and activities.
Sustainable Industry
We aim to create jobs and income for filmmakers by building connections and supporting a sustainable regional film industry. Additionally, our organisation focuses closely on capacity building specifically for Lao filmmakers.
Diversity
We believe strongly in equal representation of all perspectives. We pride ourselves on showcasing content that reflects a variety of ethnic, national, gender, sexual, and political identities.
The Festival
The festival brings together Southeast Asian storytellers and their films. Our “Motion Picture Ambassadors” suggest selections each year from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, and our program team showcases the best of these in the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang, Laos.
This inspiring environment provides an ideal backdrop for artists and industry professionals to share their experiences and talents. A festival’s festival, Blue Chair has often been recognized as one of the most alluring and exciting locations on the international film festival circuit.
All Blue Chair screenings are free and open to the public. At the main outdoor venue, we provide 800 of the iconic blue chairs — but regularly welcome eager audiences of over 1,500 people per screening.
Supporting Filmmakers
Blue Chair works throughout the year in support of the nascent Lao film industry, most conspicuously through the Lao Filmmakers Fund (LFF), an annual source of grants to Lao Film Projects selected through a competitive application process. The LFF also supports workshops, public screenings, and mentoring for emerging filmmakers.
From 2016 – 2019, the Luang Prabang Talent Lab, presented in partnership with the Tribeca Film Institute, offered filmmakers from across Southeast Asia the opportunity to practice pitching projects in development, consult with mentors, and access North American markets for co-production funding.