The Real Alaska - New Book You Probably Won't See In Your Local Bookstore

Image from email from Thanachart

Unless you live in Thailand.  But maybe we can convince a few Anchorage stores to stock it.


Thanachart (Benz)    Siripatrachai first came to Alaska last December (2013) along with his award winning short documentary The Words I Love.  He's a Thai who was finishing film school
in New York City and he stayed with us a few of the days he was in Anchorage.  Here's my post including a video where he declares his love of Alaska.

Then in April 2014 he sent me a copy of his book New York First Time and a link to a video he'd made to promote the book.  It had, at the time over two million hits!  The book went to the top of the Thai best seller list.

Later he sent me another email saying he was coming back to Alaska because his publisher wanted him to do a book on Alaska, because, he said, there aren't many in Thai.  So he was back in Alaska this summer and we got to see him again for a couple of the days he was here. 

So, now the Alaska book is out.  If it's anything like the New York book, it will have lots of photos, chapter titles and headings in English, and the main text will be in Thai.  It will be humorous and the language will be a little spicy.

He said he'll send me a copy when he gets back to New York from Thailand where he's promoting the book at the National Book Fair in Bangkok.

Image from email from Thanachart

I'm going to try to convince him that some of the books should be on sale in Alaska.  I'm sure some people would buy it, even if they can't read it all.  And there's a sizable Thai-Lao community here who can read it.

This page shows the monk at the Thai Buddhist temple on D St just north of Fireweed.  They have lots of Thai readers and I'm sure this is one of the first books to cover their temple.  The money tree in the picture is covered with donations from many different countries.  (Benz didn't get to the temple last December, but I made sure he got there on his summer trip.)

Below is a picture Benz sent me of him signing his books at the Thai Book Fair.  He's sitting in the center in the dark blue shirt.

Image from email from Thanachart

His video for the New York 1st Time book made him something of a celebrity in Thailand, so I suspect this book on Alaska will get a lot more attention than such a book normally would.  I'm pretty sure the title is tongue-in-cheek, but we may see an uptick in Thai visitors to Alaska.

And none of this would have happened without the Anchorage International Film Festival (which will be Dec. 5-14 this year) which got Benz to Alaska for the first time. 

NY 1st Time Book Promotion With Foreigner Swearing In Thai - AIFF Winner's New Video Goes Viral

Thanachart in Anchorage Dec 2013

Thanachart Siripatracha's The Words I Love won honorable mention at the Anchorage International Film Festival for short documentary last December.  We had the pleasure of having Benz (as he's called) stay with us for part of the festival.  His winning film was charming as is he.  He currently lives in New York where he's been studying film making.  You can see a short video of Benz talking about his first time in Alaska at this post. 

A couple of weeks ago he sent me a link to a video he did to promote his book - related to the AIFF winning film.  His book,  New York 1st Time, is in Thai about his adventures in New York.  

 

The video was a spoof of his book by talking to a farang (foreigner) about his first time in Bangkok.  In this case it was his first time being cursed by a Thai.  That doesn't happen often (a foreigner being cursed by a Thai) unless the foreigner really deserves it, as he did in this case.









Here's the viral video (it's in English and Thai):





I was going to wait to post about this until I got the book, but Benz sent me a follow up - the Bangkok post has written about this video.  Here are a couple of excerpts:

A video clip of an American retired lecturer documenting his first experience of being sworn at in Thailand has attracted more than half a million views after one day after being uploaded to YouTube. . .

Thanachart Siripatrachai uploaded the video clip of 78-year-old Nelson Howe describing his first experience of being subjected to foul language after living in Bangkok for three years. .  .

The video was made to promote a book written by Mr Thanachart about his 'first time' experience of visiting New York. Mr Thanachart, an assistant film director, said on his Facebook page that Mr Howe was a former university lecturer who he met accidentally in New York.

Mr Thanachart initially just wanted to promote his book using the clip describing Mr Howe's 'first time' experience in Thailand. But the film-maker now plans to make several more videos based on the academic's...

 By the way, as I write this, the video has 2.5 million hits. 

AIFF 2013: The Words I Love Director On Anchorage And His Film

I still have film festival video and other posts to put up.  One film maker I almost didn't record was Thanachart 'Ben'* Siripatrachai. 


The irony is that Ben stayed with us for several days of the festival and so I guess I thought I could get him any time.  Finally, I decided as we were having lunch downtown between films, I better do it.

His film The Words I Love  won honorable mention in the short docs category.  It was a film that caught my attention when I first saw the description and turned out to be a very unique film, Ben just doing seemed right to him, not following any preset rules for how to tell his story.  The audiences responded well with frequent laughs and chuckles.

Here's video we did. 






*If anyone is interested:

His nick name is 'Benz' like the car.  But in Thai, there is no final 'nz' sound, so it just becomes Ben.  So I've decided to just write in 'Ben'.  On his website he writes it in Thai (see image on top) as a final 'n.'  There really is no letter for a 'z' in Thai, though in Thai 'Benz' would  have a final 's' [เบนซ์] that wouldn't be pronounced (the squiggly line above the 's' on the end [ซ์] makes the 's' sound silent.  But in English he writes Benz.  But when he pronounced it, he said Ben.  In the image the first letter [เ] is the vowel sound 'eh'.  Then comes [บ] the 'b' sound, and finally the [น] 'n' sound. The squiggly mark on top appears to be a high tone mark [ป็], though at first I thought it was a 'Mai Dtaikhu' which shortens the vowel sound and would be found in the Thai word เป็น which is the word for 'to be.'  

So we have - เบ๊น- the way Ben spells his name in Thai.
We have -เบนซ์ -  the way Mercedes-Benz is spelled in Thai.
And - เป็น  -  the common word for the verb 'to be.'

[Update Jan 5, 2013:  I don't write Thai very often these days and I forgot a small detail.  There are two different Thai letters that represent two slightly different sounds that English uses the letter B for.  I think it's pretty easy to see the difference between ป and  บ. The first one is unvoiced and the second one is voiced.  I won't even try to explain that but if you are interested here are two sites that explain it - one in writing and one with a video. ]

 

Alaskans Get Colorado Christmas Trees And Mexican Poinsettias

During the film festival, the creator of The Words I Love (Honorable Mention in the short docs category) stayed with us for several days.  Thanachart Siripatrachai - Benz - for short and I went for a few outings and during one we stopped at Bell's Nursery and found, to our surprise, Christmas trees from Colorado.

Down on the bottom - it says Poncha Springs, CO.

Needless to say we were surprised to learn Alaskans buy Colorado trees.  

Here's Benz taking pictures.















I don't think these particular poinsettias are from Mexico, but I did some checking and they come originally from Mexico.








From American Phytopathological Society:  

The poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., is a member of the family Euphorbiaceae. The genus Euphorbia contains some 700 to 1,000 species. It is characterized by a single female flower, without petals and usually without sepals, surrounded by individual male flowers all enclosed in a cup-shaped structure called a cyathium. The showy red, pink, white, or bicolored portion of the plant, popularly referred to as the flower, consists of modified leaves or bracts (Fig. 1).

The poinsettia is a native plant of Mexico and originated in a rather limited region near present day Taxco. Long before the arrival of Europeans, the Aztecs of central Mexico cultivated the plant and called it Cuetlaxochitl. Because of its brilliant color, the poinsettia was a symbol of purity to the Indians. It was highly prized by both King Netzahualcoyotl and Montezuma, but because of the high altitude climate, the plant could not be grown in their capital, now known as Mexico City. The Indians used poinsettia bracts to make a reddish-purple dye. They also made a medicine for fever from the plant’s latex.  .  . [emphasis added - and there's a lot more about the history of this plant at the APS link.]

Yes, I needed to look it up too.  Here's what it says:

What Is Phytopathology or Plant Pathology?

The Study of Plant Disease

Plant pathology is an interdisciplinary science that includes knowledge of botany, microbiology, crop science, soil science, ecology, genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and physiology. Most plant pathologists have master's and doctoral degrees and are employed by colleges and universities, state and federal government agencies, industrial firms, international institutes, and as private practitioners.

In any case, let me take this opportunity to wish all my readers who celebrate Christmas, a very merry Christmas!

AIFF 2013: Snowy Saturday Films - 'Benz', Benoit Cohen, and Matthieu Prada

We started downtown with Harlem Streetsinger, a documentary about Rev. Gary Davis, whose guitar playing was legendary.  Nice piece of musical history and biography.  Then to the library for Lion Ark and back downtown for Delinquent Dancers - a fun, but not quite successful Bollywood film about a group of boys who escape a detention center to take part in a televised dance contest.

Then to Bear Tooth for You'll Be A Man.   Each time we got back to the car, there was
another three or four inches of fresh snow to brush off.

'Benz' Thamachart Siripatrachai

'Benz' Thanachart Siripatrachai, a Thai film maker studying in New York and the creator of the charming The Words I Love  has been staying with us and realized that I hadn't gotten any video of him yet.  So I did at lunch between films.  I'll edit it and put it up later. 





Saturday's highlight for me was You'll Be A Man  by Benoit Cohen who came from France with his producer Matthieu Prada for the showing.  (And he'll be here for tomorrow's showing too.)  Here's a bit of video of the two before the showing, talking about their arrival in Alaska.



)

Here they are after the film answering questions from a clearly enthusiastic audience at the Bear Tooth.

The discussions continued on into the lobby.

I was hoping to get to bed before 2am today, but I've missed that deadline.  I liked You'll Be A Man a lot, but I want to process it a bit before I write about it.  It  does play again Sunday - at 1:30 at AK Exp.  


[UPDATE March 11, 2014 Youtube video replaces Viddler]

AIFF2013: Documentaries In Competition - From Freeze Drying Your Pet and Harlem Blues, to Selling Kidneys and Antarctica

First the films are selected from all those submitted.  Then a certain number from each category is  selected to be 'in competition'' meaning these are the finalists eligible for an award in the category.  The documentary category has, if I counted right, 32 selected films (18 under 30 minutes and 14 over 30 minutes)  and 11 are 'in competition.'   Of these, three are under 30 minutes and the other eight above.

Films come from:  

• New Zealand/Antarctica
• Afghanistan/USA
• USA
• France
• Canada

• China/USA
• Mozambique
• United Kingdom/USA 
• Sweden
• Thailand (it's listed as USA, but the filmmaker is a Thai living in the US)

This is a fairly long list, so I'm going to list the documentaries in competition here with minimal information about each film and in reverse alphabetical order. (The A's shouldn't always be at the top of the list.)

The documentaries was one of the best categories last year with lots of outstanding films that weren't in competition.  So look beyond this list when you are looking for docs at the festival.  The audience favorite last year wasn't in competition. 

1)  The Words I Love

From images I got from the filmmaker

Thanachart Siripatrachai

USA

17m

"I come from Thailand. I am a bookish person and always carry a book with me. In my first year in New York City, I did not know that there was a dictionary on my cellphone. When I found a word I did not know, I would ask a stranger sitting next to me to explain the meaning. I was fascinated by our conversations. Later, I started to record their voices and put them together in this documentary to explore the issue of language."  From Glovebox.

Here's a link to a blog post of Benz' (Thanachart's nickname) project to wake people up from their eyes- glued-to-their-smartphones in the Bangkok subway, by shouting random words and then taking a picture of the people looking up at him.

And here's a link to his website which has some of his photos.



2)  The Guide

Jessica Yu

Mozambique

40m.

From the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation:

"The Guide  is a coming-of-age tale set against the restoration of a war-torn national park in Mozambique. Raised near Gorongosa National Park, young Tonga Torcida dreams of becoming a tour guide. But when he meets famed biologist E.O. Wilson, his new view of the world around him—and his future—places him at a crossroads. Should Tonga become a guide, or take on a bigger role in trying to keep the park alive?"

3)  Tales from Organ Trade
Ric Esther Bienstock
Canada 
82m
http://www.talesfromtheorgantrade.com/index.html

This film shows us the people who sell their organs because they need the cash and the people who buy them because they want to live and explores the ethics of the whole situation.






4)  McConkey
Murray Wais, Rob Bruce, Scott Gaffney, David Zieff, and Steve Winter
USA
109m

I'm guessing this one will have long lines at the Bear Tooth.  It's the kind of movie that draws a big audience in Anchorage.  Ski daredevils and one in particular.   Get your tickets in advance for this one if you want to get in.  Let's hope they schedule it a couple of times. 

“McConkey” is a heartfelt examination of the legacy one athlete left to the progression of his sports, and the path he paved to conquer his dreams. Shane McConkey is revered as a pioneer of freeskiing and ski-BASE jumping, and through his talent and ability to use his trademark irreverent humor, he inspired countless lives. In a new film from Red Bull Media House in association with Matchstick Productions, “McConkey” celebrates the life of one of the world’s ultimate innovators.

 
5) Lion Ark

Tim Phillips

United Kingdom/USA

97m

From the film's website:

Lion Ark is a vivid behind the scenes account of probably the most ambitious animal rescue ever undertaken, the finale of which sees 25 lions rescued from illegal traveling circuses across Bolivia being flown to safety in the USA.
A shocking undercover investigation leads to a ban on animal circuses in Bolivia. But the circuses defy the law. The team behind the investigation return, track down the illegal circuses and save every animal. We follow the confrontations, heartache and risks the team face, before an emotional finale sees 25 lions airlifted 5,000 miles to freedom in Colorado.

6) I, Slomo

Joshua Izenberg
USA

17 min

Neurologist drops out of rat race to slow motion roller blade.

Video is from the film's Kickstarter page

7)  Himalayan Gold Rush 
Eric Valli 
France 
48m.

"Every spring, in a remote part of Nepal, tens of thousands of men, women and children leave their villages for a dangerous trek to the high Himalaya, sometimes at the cost of their lives, to collect Yarsagumbu - a mysterious transmutation between plant and insect. Used in Chinese medicine, it is worth up to 60,000 USD a kilo – more than gold! " 

8) Harlem Street Singer
Trevor Laurence
USA
77m.


From the Harlem Street Singer website:

"Harlem Street Singer, the first-ever film to tell the little-known story of Reverend Gary Davis, the great ragtime and gospel musician. Tracing his journey from the tobacco warehouses of the rural south to the streets of Harlem, the film is a revealing portrait of an artist who impacted the musical landscape of folk music and endeared himself to musicians such as Pete Seeger, Bob Weir, Jerry Garcia, Jorma Kaukonen, David Bromberg, Bob Dylan and countless others. In addition to interviews, the storyline features audio recordings from Woody Mann’s guitar lessons with Davis, archival footage, rediscovered photographs, concert and informal musical sequences by the Reverend as well as contemporary artists who have been influenced by him. Harlem Street Singer celebrates the beauty and spirituality of his music as well as the human qualities that made Reverend Davis a much beloved teacher and minister. This is the exciting story of an American musical icon whose legacy continues to live on in today’s music scene."

9)  Grand Rescue

Meredith Lavitt and Jenny Wilson 

USA

48m

There was something about the trailer that suggests a gripping film. And the mountain climbing rescue story should appeal to Alaskans.  And this one had it's premier just a couple of days ago - Nov. 5 - so we'll be among the first to see it. 




From The Grand Rescue website:

"It was August 22nd around 2:00 pm when a young graduate student and his female climbing companion became stranded on a narrow ledge 13,000 feet high. A boulder had broken free and showered the climbers with rock fall leaving Gaylord Campbell with protruding compound fractures. The young national park rangers quickly went to work, relying on innate skill, instinct and trust. History was about to be made...the rescue was the first one on the feared North Face - an unprecedented rescue for its time, due to the climber's severe injuries and unknown terrain."

10)  Furever

Amy FInkel

USA

80m

Learn how to freeze dry your pet.  Actually, it's a look at people who get their pets freeze dried and the people who will do it for them.

11)  Backyard
Deia Schlosberg
USA
28m
 

“Backyard” is a story of seeing broadly and considering the greater good. Told via animations and people's experiences with fracking."  From the Backyard Kickstarter page.