Thessaloniki Selects ‘Today is Better than Two Tomorrows’

‘Today is Better than Two Tomorrows’ tells the simple story of friendship between two eleven year old Buddhist boys who leave home to find a better life in Luang Prabang, in Laos South East Asia. One of only a few documentaries to come out of Laos it was filmed by Anna Rodgers, director of ‘If These Walls Could Talk’, on a DV camera after she came across the two boys whilst backpacking. Rodgers proceeded to spend over 4 years bringing the story of the young boys to the screen with no commission, crew or translator.

With the support of The Irish Film Board and Crossing the Line Films, the film was completed in early 2009. It was edited by IFTA nominee Emer Reynolds (The Eclipse) and Oliver Fallen (The Importance of Being Irish), produced by Siobhán Ward (If These Walls Could Talk) and John Murray (The Strange Case of the Irish Crown Jewels), with an original score by Cyril Morin (Locked In) and Hugh Rodgers (If These Walls Could Talk).

Since its premiere last year in the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, and first international outing at Vancouver International Film Festival, ‘Today is Better Than Two Tomorrows’ has been selected for over ten film festivals worldwide from the Canberra International Film Festival, to the Thin Line Film Festival in Texas where it will have its first American screening on February 21st.

Director Anna Rodgers tells IFTN: “I’m delighted that our film has been selected for such a diverse range of film festivals, and that people respond so positively to it. Festivals are so competitive these days, we feel really privileged to make the cut for these exciting events. We’ve had really moving reactions to the film and especially touching is the Laos expats who’ve told us it reminded them of where they came from. It’s really thanks to the Irish Film Board that we managed to finish the film, and it’s very satisfying to see it travel and be enjoyed by people.”

The Thessaloniki Documentary Festival is a prominent European Documentary Festival which takes place every March in Thessaloniki since its inception in 1999 under the artistic direction of Dimitri Eipides.The event this year will take place from the 12th to 21st March. For more information about the 12th annual festival click here.

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