During the decades long crackdown on Falun Gong practitioners in China which claimed thousands of victims, the lives of three women intertwine as they more
During the decades long crackdown on Falun Gong practitioners in China which claimed thousands of victims, the lives of three women intertwine as they embark on a dangerous journey to find freedom. Armed with only a road map and a desire for justice, they must rely on their wits, courage and the compassion of strangers, to escape imprisonment and navigate a treacherous passageway out of communist China. Staying behind means certain death, but the road ahead holds no guarantees. How far will they go for freedom? close
Paradoxocracy, co-directed with Pen-ek's longtime friend and producer, Pasakorn Pramoolwong, begins with the 1932 Siamese Revolution - which transformed more
Paradoxocracy, co-directed with Pen-ek's longtime friend and producer, Pasakorn Pramoolwong, begins with the 1932 Siamese Revolution - which transformed Thailand from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional one - and works its way to the present day, chronicling the country's major political revolutions, movements and countless coups along the way. Using a combination of archival footage, voice-overs and interviews with 15 unnamed academics, activists and political leaders, the film presents the directors' personal journey to come to an understanding of how their country arrived at its current state of near-constant political division and dysfunction. close
This documentary reveals the tension and tragedy of the Cambodian-Thai border conflict through the stories of an ex-soldier and villagers on both sides.
This documentary reveals the tension and tragedy of the Cambodian-Thai border conflict through the stories of an ex-soldier and villagers on both sides. close
Sailing a Sinking Sea is a feature-length experimental documentary exploring the culture of the Moken people of Burma and Thailand. The Moken are seafaring more
Sailing a Sinking Sea is a feature-length experimental documentary exploring the culture of the Moken people of Burma and Thailand. The Moken are seafaring people and one of the smallest ethnic minority groups in Asia. Wholly reliant upon the sea, their entire belief system, education, and economic and physical development revolve around water. Sailing a Sinking Sea illuminates the Moken lifestyle through recorded traditional music, folklore and conversations with the Moken people. Through intimate and dynamic cinematography and audio recordings, Sailing a Sinking Sea weaves a visual and aural tapestry of Moken mythologies and present-day practices. close
MOHAMMED TO MAYA is a documentary feature that examines the spiritual and emotional side of sex change through the story of a devout Muslim from India more
MOHAMMED TO MAYA is a documentary feature that examines the spiritual and emotional side of sex change through the story of a devout Muslim from India (Maya Jafer), who was persecuted by her orthodox Muslim family and religious community for deciding to undergo sexual reassignment surgery. Filmmaker Jeff Roy follows Maya to three countries (Thailand, United States, and India), along a difficult journey as she struggles to maintain her faith while fighting for personal liberation. close
Morakot is a derelict and defunct hotel in the heart of Bangkok that opened its doors in the 1980's: a time when Thailand shifted gears into accelerated more
Morakot is a derelict and defunct hotel in the heart of Bangkok that opened its doors in the 1980's: a time when Thailand shifted gears into accelerated economic industrialization and a time when Cambodians poured into Thai refugee camps after the invasion of Vietnamese forces. It was a hosting time. Later, when the East Asian financial crisis struck in 1997, these reveries collapsed. Like Kamanita, the unchanged Morakot is a star burdened with (or fueled by) memories. Apichatpong collaborated with his three regular actors, who recounted their dreams, hometown life, bad moments, and love poems, to re-supply the hotel with new memories. close
A globe-spanning portrait of humanity at a crucial age - no longer children, not quite adults, preparing to inherit a world changing as quickly and dramatically more
A globe-spanning portrait of humanity at a crucial age - no longer children, not quite adults, preparing to inherit a world changing as quickly and dramatically as they are. This documentary focuses on a series of eleven-year-olds from 15 countries, each speaking in their own words and revealing the private obsessions and public concerns that animate their lives. It is simultaneously an epic survey of the similarities and distinctions between cultures and an intimate account of these young personalities finding their way in the world today. close
The first railway line in Thailand was inaugurated in 1893 – a sign of progress and prosperity. Shot over eight years on every active line of the country's more
The first railway line in Thailand was inaugurated in 1893 – a sign of progress and prosperity. Shot over eight years on every active line of the country's railway system, this wondrous documentary offers an unprecedented immersion into the country's past and present. close
Terrorism proves to be the symptom, and not the cause in this documentary focusing on the Islamic insurgency in Thailand, a country already feeling the more
Terrorism proves to be the symptom, and not the cause in this documentary focusing on the Islamic insurgency in Thailand, a country already feeling the effects of a dangerously unstable democracy. The situation is seen from the perspective of outspoken Thai human-rights activist Kraisak Choonhavan, who, while making the journey southward, reveals an unseen side of the Muslim community. After living alongside Buddhists peacefully for generations, a large number of the Muslim population seems to have suddenly become violent. Over the course of just two years, over fifty Buddhists teachers have been killed. But why? As the Muslim separatist attacks become increasingly intense and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra responds with growing force from military and government, a mutual mistrust on both sides paves he path towards violence and tragedy. close
Deep in the forests of Sumatra, a Finnish sea captain seeks an elusive banana. In a Kolkata kitchen, Bengali chefs prepare scrumptious banana stalk curries. more
Deep in the forests of Sumatra, a Finnish sea captain seeks an elusive banana. In a Kolkata kitchen, Bengali chefs prepare scrumptious banana stalk curries. As the sun blazes in Kuala Lumpur, a Chinese exorcist calls forth an evil banana spirit… Embarking on an international journey through the vibrant world of human-banana relationships, MONDO BANANA explores the personal, cultural, and environmental importance of one of the world’s favorite fruits. A delicious blend of video art and ethnographic film, MONDO BANANA turns educational filmmaking upside down with a wild medley of shadow puppetry, culinary demonstrations, exorcisms, scientific research, performance art, anthropology, underground film, and dragon-dancing that peels away the secrets of human-banana relations and celebrates the age-old connection between people and plants. close
Buddhist monks open up about the joys and challenges of living out the precepts of the Buddha as a full-time vocation. Controversies swirling within modern more
Buddhist monks open up about the joys and challenges of living out the precepts of the Buddha as a full-time vocation. Controversies swirling within modern monastic Buddhism are examined, from celibacy and the role of women to racism and concerns about the environment. close
Filmed in Bangkok, Rites of Passage (Part 1) documents the story of Maya (Mohammad) Jafer, a 42-year old Indo-Muslim transsexual female, who underwent more
Filmed in Bangkok, Rites of Passage (Part 1) documents the story of Maya (Mohammad) Jafer, a 42-year old Indo-Muslim transsexual female, who underwent gender reassignment surgery in early 2011. This film follows her through the moments leading towards and during her surgery, capturing her in times of utmost vulnerability and ecstasy. This film is an honest and truthful look at Maya's journey to fully-realized self-hood. close
Eight pastoral vignettes make up this leisurely and benevolent stroll through Thailand’s rural north country, where time slows down and the changing seasons more
Eight pastoral vignettes make up this leisurely and benevolent stroll through Thailand’s rural north country, where time slows down and the changing seasons dictate the day’s chores from dawn to dead of night. close
A young man and his young elephant street beg in gritty Bangkok amid the controversial elephant business that threatens their survival, until the opportunity more
A young man and his young elephant street beg in gritty Bangkok amid the controversial elephant business that threatens their survival, until the opportunity comes to release the elephant to the wild. close
VOODOO GIRLS challenges Thailand's social taboos as filmmaker THUNSKA PANSITTIVORAKUL and his circle of college friends, talk openly about sex, gossiping more
VOODOO GIRLS challenges Thailand's social taboos as filmmaker THUNSKA PANSITTIVORAKUL and his circle of college friends, talk openly about sex, gossiping and teasing each other as they discuss their past and present partners. Loaded with sexual innuendo, random objects and gestures assume new meaning, rendering even an artist's wooden mannequin a playful sexual energy. Roger Garcia Documentary in a form of home video, telling a story of the lives of 3 girl friends through a personal point of view. close