''Sabaidee Luang Prabang'' ( th, สะบายดี หลวงพะบาง, English title: ''Good Morning, Luang Prabang'') is a 2008
romantic drama film directed by
Sakchai Deenan and starring
Ananda Everingham. It was the first commercial film shot in
Laos since the country adopted communism in 1975.
[
]
Plot
Sorn (Everingham), a Thai
Thai or THAI may refer to:
* Of or from Thailand, a country in Southeast Asia
** Thai people, the dominant ethnic group of Thailand
** Thai language, a Tai-Kadai language spoken mainly in and around Thailand
*** Thai script
*** Thai (Unicode block ...
photographer visiting Laos, falls in love with his beautiful Laotian tour guide, Noi (Pallawong). The film features several tourist sites in Laos.
Cast
* Ananda Everingham as Sorn
* Khamly Philawong as Noi
Production
Director Sakchai Deenan claimed the plotline was inspired by a visit to Laos in which he fell in love with a Laotian woman and imagining her as a tour guide.[ ] He deliberately created a simple plot "so it would not be too hard to get approval from the Lao government."[ A government member oversaw the production of ''Sabaidee Luang Prabang'' so that it portrayed Laotian culture in a positive manner and cut any scenes that the Lao government may perceive to be controversial.][
]
Release
The film premiered on May 24, 2008, at one of Laos' two theaters (both located in its capital, Vientiane
Vientiane ( , ; lo, ວຽງຈັນ, ''Viangchan'', ) is the capital and largest city of Laos. Vientiane is divided administratively into 9 cities with a total area of only approx. 3,920 square kilometres and is located on the banks of ...
) and was released in Thai on June 5.[ Open-air screenings occurred throughout Laos, including the ]UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage city of Luang Prabang.[ Upon its release, it was the first Laotian private film, authorities seeing ''Sabaidee Luang Prabang'' as the start of a new source of income.][ The aim of the film was also to encourage bilateral cooperation between Thailand and Laos.][
]
References
External links
*
2008 films
Laotian films
2008 romantic drama films
Thai multilingual films
2008 multilingual films
{{2000s-romantic-drama-film-stub