We started 2021 with the ease of Covid-19 spread in Thailand, things started to be normalized, although a lot of people were still wearing masks in public. (I even attended a friend wedding towards the end of March!) Hence, during Janurary-March, I started organizing this event to share the research project to the public (in Thailand, primarily BKK and nearby areas). 

I visited a charming former theatre (existed as a cinema since the era of King Rama V, at the height of Western colonization.) It was formerly a gambling den, which was deemed inappropriate by the authority. Hence, it was turned into a cinama (much more appropriate. ei ei). Now open as a heritage hotel/cafe, the decor tells its history showing films in the 1970s such as Rosemary's Baby (1968), Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975). Its cocktail bar seves drinks inspired by different films and it is affordable to rent the space for a public talk with a big cinema screen projection.  

With the support of a staff at Rilca, we got talking to the sales agent of the hotel. I also got in touch with a FB Page, known amongst film fans in Thailand for stories on film fan tourism to collaborate on a special collection postcards. We got the posters designed with the programme. It all looked very promising for a small intimate event, with a plan for a recording session to share the talk widely afterwards. I was to be joined with the project mentor who will be talking about 'memory films' i.e. The Railway Man, while I will be talking about film memories (which extend from the memory film genre). 

It all turned topsy turvy as the 3rd wave of Covid started with a big cluster at a night club in Bangkok. Then with the Thai New Year long holiday when people started to travel nationwide, things got a lot worse. After a chat with my colleague, I decided to postpone the activity, which I'm glad I did, for the safety of everyone.

The project is now extended a little longer so that this final event could be hosted on site. After finishing my book draft (on a separate project on transnational film authorship), May 2021 is my time to revise a journal article on play theory and film fan tourism, and continue with the project report write-up. Until then, stay safe and hope we'll be able to travel again soon!