BATARU IN BANGKOK
翔凤文化节（曼谷)
EMPOWERMENT THROUGH THE ARTS
30 . 11 . 2024 - 09 . 12. 2024
Baturu Cultural Festival: Where Art Meets Empowerment
The 2024 Baturu Cultural Festival, held from November 30 to December 9 in Bangkok, brought together a diverse and inspiring programme of films, performances, exhibitions, and discussions across some of the city’s most renowned cultural venues. As a crossroads for global creativity, Bangkok provided the perfect backdrop for this.
A Platform for Change
Formally known as the ‘China Women’s Film Festival,’ which stood as the only feminist cultural festival in China, Baturu has grown into a unique international platform. The festival uses art as a medium to explore and address pressing issues involving gender inequality, mental health, and social justice. While still relatively small in scale, Baturu’s mission is to amplify women’s voices and foster equality within the arts.
The festival provides opportunities for women artists and filmmakers to showcase their work while creating spaces for dialogue on important and pressing issues. Festival events and screenings feature work discussing domestic violence, child marriage, the challenges of female refugees and migrant workers, and the global Me Too movement.
Baturu also aims to build connections among female artists, focusing on those from across South and Southeast Asia, with plans to expand its scope to Europe and the United States. By cultivating cross-cultural exchange, Baturu seeks to foster conversation and build a collective understanding of women’s challenges worldwide.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Film Screenings
A key feature of this year’s programme was a curated selection of films by women filmmakers. Among the highlights was God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya, a provocative exploration of gender norms in a traditional society. Other standout films included Overseas by Sung-A Yoon, which examined the experiences of Filipino domestic workers preparing for jobs abroad, and Tack, Greece’s first Me Too documentary featuring an Olympic sailor’s story of assault.
Exhibitions and Performances
The exhibitions and performances showcased a rich variety of themes, including mental health, gender-based violence, and advocacy for marginalised communities. Notable contributors included Indonesian filmmaker Devina Sofiyanti, who addressed domestic violence in her short films, and Thai artist Thanta Laovilawanyakul, whose theatrical piece amplified the voices of sex workers.
Panel Discussions and Workshops
A series of workshops and thought-provoking panels explored the intersection of art, activism, and societal change. Held across a diverse and culturally significant range of venues — including the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT), SEA Junction, and Art Focus — these sessions encouraged artists, academics, and attendees to share insights on gender equality and social justice. They served as an inclusive environment for idea exchange and collaboration.
This year marked a significant milestone for Baturu, as it expanded beyond China to take place in Bangkok, a city renowned for its vibrant arts scene and dynamic cultural diversity. Bangkok offers an inclusive and supportive environment where artists and audiences from across the region can connect, collaborate, and share ideas freely.
Bangkok’s selection as the host city aligns with the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995), a landmark framework for advancing women’s rights globally, established during the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing.
Adopted and endorsed by 189 countries, the declaration outlined strategic objectives and actionable policies across critical areas, including women’s rights, education, economic participation, and the elimination of violence against women. It continues to serve as a pivotal reference for advancing gender equality, underscoring the ongoing efforts needed to empower women and amplify their voices on a global stage.
This anniversary provided a timely backdrop for the festival, offering an opportunity to reflect on the progress made over the past three decades and to strengthen networks of feminist artists and advocates working towards greater gender equality and empowerment across the Asia-Pacific region.
Founder Li Dan articulated the festival’s long-term vision:
“Our bigger goal is to expand Baturu into a multi-country tour across South and Southeast Asia, saving resources while reaching broader audiences. By inviting artists from the EU and the US in the future, we aim to give Southeast Asian artists a chance to showcase their work to new audiences in the West.”
Through its diverse programming and focus on empowerment, the Baturu Cultural Festival builds on the work of the International Women’s Film Festival in Bangkok, which concluded in 2021. By continuing to highlight and celebrate women’s stories and contributions to the arts, Baturu carries forward the mission of promoting gender equality and amplifying women’s voices in the creative industry.
A Movement, Not Just a Festival
The Baturu Cultural Festival is more than an arts event; it is a movement that harnesses the transformative power of creativity to tackle complex social issues. By amplifying underrepresented voices and fostering cross-cultural dialogue, Baturu is carving out a space for empowerment and equality in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.