Main Programme  

When backpackers visit a small remote village in northern Laos, in search of a traditional experience, the inhabitants of the village discover the attractions of the West within them. Two worlds meet at the crossroad of their respective desires; one longing for authenticity, the other for modernity. Their encounter leaves no-one unchanged – the backpackers’ arrival divides the local population and disrupts the relationship between two childhood friends. This film is a complex East-meets-West story, but it is not a film about good against evil. The backpackers are not looking to unsettle the place, this is just a side-effect of their arrival – and the villagers already dream of more wealth and luxury. The film doesn't condemn, but it does tackle the culture clash in crystal clear images and scenes. It is also a story of friendship and how we relate to each other in a rapidly changing world.

Daan Veldhuizen

Daan Veldhuizen studied audio-visual arts at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam, and has been working as a freelance director, DOP and editor ever since. Banana Pancakes and the Children of Sticky Rice is his second feature documentary.

Selected Filmography

Stories from Lakka Beach (2011)
Here and There / Tini Tinou (2009)
Versus (2007)