In light of the royal coronation ceremony for His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun taking place next month, the Thai Film Archive is holding a free, exclusive screening of King Rama VII's coronation ceremony in 1925, featuring footage never seen before by the public.
The film is the oldest surviving motion picture of the sacred ceremony. The screening will take place on Friday at the Thai Film Archive, Phuttamonthon Sai 5 Road. Preserved by the Thai Film Archive, the old film is a historical record of various important parts of the coronation ceremony of King Rama VII.
The footage was shot in 1925 by the Film Department of the State Railway of Thailand on 35mm nitrate film, an antique format that still preserves the detail and quality of the images with amazing precision even after nearly 100 years. Thai Film Archive has preserved the original nitrate film and recently transferred it onto a digital format in order to allow the public to witness such a rare and momentous event before the coronation of HM the King next month. Together with the screening, there will be a lecture by Asst Prof Dinar Boontharm from the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, and Dome Sukhawong, film historian and former director of the Thai Film Archive, who will share their insights and knowledge of the history of royal coronation ceremonies and the preservation of the rare footage.
Admission is free. Call 080-617-2542 or 087-799-5952.
