The website for the 5th World Film Festival of Bangkok, organized by Nation Multimedia, has been updated -- sort of. It has a placeholder welcome page, with a notice that "this year site is coming soon".

The festival this year moves from the environs around Siam Square and Ratchaprasong to the slightly off-the-beaten path Esplanade on Ratchadaphisek Road. Located near the Bangkok subway's Thailand Cultural Center station, it's about as easy to get to as anything else and the festival will put this fairly new venue to the test. In past years, the World fest has been spread out at several cinemas, so it'll be a nice change this year to have it based in one place.

Though the festival is nearly a month away, it's still too early to tell what all will be showing. Early titles that have been tipped include Bagdad Cafe, a quirky 1987 comedy drama film set in the southwestern United States by German director Percy Adlon, and a retrospective of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli films, including 2006's Tales of Earthsea by Hayao's son, Goro.

Highlights of the festival will be broadcast at 11pm on Saturdays on Channel 9 (ModerNine), from September 22 to November 24, in cooperation with the Nation Channel.