River of Ghosts: Indie Thai Filmmaker Loves the Dark

Apichatpong Weerasethakul – you can call him “Joe” – is a leading force in Thai cinema’s new wave and a favorite at Cannes, where his latest film, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, won the Palme d’Or. Weerasethakul’s illusory films are vessels of longing, revealing a Thailand at its most otherworldly and veering far from linear narrative. His new exhibit, “For Tomorrow For Tonight,” just opened at the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art. Using video, image and sound taken from his films, it’s a meditation on night, when the eyes become defunct and the mind takes control.

Describe your new exhibit at the UCCA.
It is a portrait of this small house near the Mekong River, which belongs to an actress I frequently work with who is in the process of getting her leg operated on. I’m interested in this river, which has caused flooding and drought over the years.

Where do the supernatural forces you use in your films, such as ghosts and talking animals, come from?
I grew up amidst the reality of ghosts and many fantastic creatures. So it is not hard to imagine them – nor to bring them back.

Your parents and the region you grew up in, Isaan, are often included in your films. How have they influenced your work?
The transformation of places and people fascinates me. I always wonder what cities will be like in the future. That’s why I dig so much into the past.

Whether it’s a princess mating with a catfish or monks stealing away from their temples, your films often capture illicit longing.
Maybe it’s because here in Thailand we cannot do many things in a straightforward manner; it is always about zigzagging through the system. In telling stories there is a sense of trying to liberate oneself.

Keeping in mind the censorship you’ve faced from the Thai government, what do you think of the immediate future of Thai cinema?
It looks bright. Not only for Thai cinema, either – cinema in general is being liberated by affordable tools and exploding distribution channels.

Tell us about your next project.
It is a film for ARTE television on a hotel near the Mekong, about a female ghost who kills her daughter. Both of them become trapped in different bodies.

Besides working in cinema, are you hoping to branch out into anything new?
Yes. I am thinking about having an avocado farm.

“Joe” and his fantastic creatures will be afoot at the UCCA until Feb 10.

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