LUANG PRABANG, Laos -- Boating along a serene stretch of the Mekong River near the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang, some passengers were overcome with emotion. "I screamed," said Xaisongkham Induangchanty. "We all screamed." Tears poured down Siege Ledesma's face. "I cried ugly," she confided. "Really ugly."
Their tears were an expression of joy, unrelated to the beauty of the surrounding scenery: Both were filmmakers attending the Luang Prabang Film Festival in mid-December, where they participated in a competition for young filmmakers seeking funding. On the boat trip, they were announced as winners.
