Blue Chair Film Festival Returns to Luang Prabang This December
The annual Blue Chair Film Festival is set to take place in Luang Prabang from December 4-8, welcoming filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from throughout Southeast Asia to the UNESCO-listed heritage town for five days of complimentary film screenings and cultural programming.
Festival organizers will host screenings at four different locations around the city, with sessions scheduled between 10 AM and 10 PM daily. The 2026 program showcases productions from eleven Southeast Asian nations: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
Beyond film screenings, this year's edition will offer panel discussions, live performances in the evenings, and special community screenings followed by dialogue sessions with local residents. Attendees can access scheduling information and real-time updates via the festival's mobile application and official website.
Fresh Visual Identity Revealed
On September 9, Blue Chair presented its 2026 visual theme at an exclusive gathering in Luang Prabang, hosted in collaboration with Aenoteca. The updated branding features a lighthouse as its central image, symbolizing the festival's mission to illuminate Southeast Asian filmmaking for audiences in Laos and the wider region. This year's design aesthetic embraces a nostalgic, analog-inspired warmth while maintaining strong connections to Luang Prabang's cultural heritage and cinematic traditions.
The festival has also launched Nong Fa, a new mascot designed by Lao creative Bim Lattana from Shrimpien Lab. Nong Fa reimagines the ubiquitous plastic chair as an animated character, embodying the collaborative and communal values at the heart of the festival.
Curated Selection From Regional Filmmakers
A team of Southeast Asian film specialists works alongside Blue Chair's programming staff to select the official lineup each year. According to Sean Chadwell, the festival's executive director and lead programmer, submission numbers reached an all-time high this year.
"Making the final selections was challenging, but the result is our most compelling program to date for Luang Prabang audiences this December," Chadwell noted.
Blue Chair operates in partnership with the Luang Prabang Department of Culture and Tourism, drawing additional backing from area accommodations, local enterprises, community groups, and individual contributors. Entry to all festival screenings remains free and accessible to everyone.