Thai Director Wins Jury Prize from Cannes Film Festival 2021

[webfact]

 

By Subhabhong Rarueysong

   

Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s feature film ‘Memoria’ has won a Jury Prize at this month’s Cannes Film Festival 2021.

 

‘Memoria’ is the first time that Apichatpong has directed a feature film in another country, as a co-production between Colombia, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Mexico and France.

 

The film, which is the collaboration between Apichatpong and Tilda Swinton, a Scottish Oscar-winning actress, known for her leading roles in independent films, was shot entirely in Colombia in the Spanish and English languages.

 

Apichatpong’s ninth feature film ‘Memoria’ also won the Grand prix d’Honneur from the Marseille International Film Festival, which is a documentary film festival, held annually since 1989 in Marseille, France.

 

‘Memoria’ will be shown at film festivals around the world, and will be released in Thailand by the end of this year.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2021-07-19

 

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[Enoon]

"The film, which is the collaboration between Apichatpong and Tilda Swinton,"

 

"Collaboration"?

 

He wrote and directed it.

 

She doesn't seem to be listed as a producer.

 

She was hired, along with a few other people, to act in it.

 

 

Edited July 18, 2021 by Enoon

[orchis]

The 2021 Cannes Jury Prize was also won ex-aequo by
Le Genou d’Ahed (Ahed’s Knee) directed by Nadav Lapid.

Apichatpong previously received the Palme d'Ór for Uncle Boonmee (2010).

[bradiston]

6 hours ago, orchis said:

The 2021 Cannes Jury Prize was also won ex-aequo by
Le Genou d’Ahed (Ahed’s Knee) directed by Nadav Lapid.

Apichatpong previously received the Palme d'Ór for Uncle Boonmee (2010).

Uncle Boonmee - a legendary masterpiece. Almost totally incomprehensible to a westerner, or so I thought, but a strange silence descends on Thais watching it. It's like a 5th dimension they enter which we can't. I think if you watch it with your Thai gf, if you have one, you'll maybe understand!

[mtls2005]

Next year I expect ~ 1 million Thais to submit films to Cannes, if only to get out of Thailand and get a real vaccine.

 

Congratulations.

 

 

He called out the Thai government in his acceptance speech...

 

He concluded by calling out the Thai government for its Covid-19 mismanagement which has led to more than 200,000 people infected and thousands dead since a third wave of Covid-19 began on April 1.

“I am lucky to be standing here, while many of my countrymen cannot travel. Many of them suffer greatly from the pandemic, with the mismanagement of resources, healthcare, and vaccine accessibility. I want to call out for the Thai and Colombian [where Memoria is set] governments, and the governments of countries in a similar situation, to please wake up, and work for your people, now.”

 

 

 

Edited July 19, 2021 by mtls2005

[Mr Meeseeks]

Wait, they didn't mention that he criticised mismanagement of the COVID crisis during his acceptance speech? Shurely shum mishtake.

 

Acclaimed Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul also highlighted the country's situation on Saturday during his acceptance speech for the jury prize at Cannes for "Memoriam".

"I’m really lucky to be standing here and while many of my countrymen cannot travel. Many of them suffer greatly from the pandemic with the mismanagement of resources, of health care and vaccine accessibility," he said.

"I want to call out for the Thai and Colombian government (where 'Memoriam' was filmed)... to please wake up and work for your people now."

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210718-police-fire-rubber-bullets-tear-gas-at-protesters-denouncing-thai-pm

[Mr Meeseeks]

He won't screen his films in Thailand either...

 

“Whatever movies we have produced, we don’t want to show it to Thai audiences because in the current situation we don’t have genuine freedom,” Apichatpong told the BBC Friday. “I don’t want to be part of a system where the movie director has to exercise self-censorship,” he added.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/thai-arthouse-director-apichatpong-weerasethakul-832542/

[bradiston]

14 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Next year I expect ~ 1 million Thais to submit films to Cannes, if only to get out of Thailand and get a real vaccine.

 

Congratulations.

 

 

Thanks for posting that. Extraordinarily telling comments from the censors (military and police) on an earlier work - Thai people only want to see comedy! What pigs!

[unblocktheplanet]

One more film which will never be allowed to show in Thailand...