Movies - Apichatpong Weerasethakul

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	Movies - Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thai อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล, born July 16, 1970 in Bangkok, Thailand) is a Thai film director. He attended Khon Kaen University and received a bachelor's degree in architecture in 1994. He attended the Art Institute of Chicago and received a master's degree in fine arts in filmmaking in 1997.

Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, Apichatpong Weerasethakul has directed several features. Themes reflected in his films (frequently discussed in interviews) include dreams, nature, sexuality (including his own homosexuality), Western perceptions of Thailand and Asia, and his films display a preference for unconventional narrative structures (like placing titles/credits at the middle of a film) and for working with non-actors.

His feature-length debut, Dokfa nai meuman (Mysterious Object at Noon) blends documentary footage and improvised narrative, and was conceptually based upon the 'exquisite corpse' game invented by surrealists.

His 2002 feature Sud Sanaeha (Blissfully Yours) won the Un Certain Regard prize at the Cannes Film Festival. His 2004 Sud Pralad (Tropical Malady) won a Jury Prize from the same festival.

Between Blissfully Yours and Tropical Malady, Apichatpong co-directed The Adventure of Iron Pussy with artist Michael Shaowanasai, who starred as the main character, a transvestite secret agent. The low-budget, digital movie was a spoof of Thai films of the 1960s and '70s, particularly the musicals and action films of Mitr Chaibancha and Petchara Chaowarat.

Along with his features, Apichatpong is known for his short films, videoworks and installations. For the Jeonju International Film Festival he was commissioned in the Digital Short Film project, which he shared with two other Asian directors. His film was called Worldly Desires. Shinya Tsukamoto from Japan made Haze and Song Il-gon from South Korea created Magician(s).

Through his company, Kick the Machine, which he founded in 1999, he promotes other independent filmmakers and experimental film works.

In 2005, Apichatpong served as the consultant on the Tsunami Digital Short Films, 13 films commissioned by the Thailand Culture Ministry's Office of Contemporary Art and Culture as a memorial tribute to the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and the resulting tsunami that struck Thailand. His film was called Ghost of Asia.

The Office of Contemporary Art and Culture also honored Apichatpong with its 2005 Silpathorn Award for Filmmaking. The award, which goes each year to several artists in various disciplines, is given to living contemporary artists.

Apichatpong's latest project is a feature film, Intimacy and Turbulence, which is made as part of the New Crowned Hope Festival, to celebrate the 250th anniverary of Mozart's birth.

He also is working on developing Utopia, a co-production with DViant Films of Los Angeles. It's to be a fantasy about a prehistoric man living in a jungle where there are periodic snowstorms. He presented his project at the 2006 Hong Kong Film Financing Forum.

Filmography

Feature films

Mysterious Object at Noon (Dokfa nai meuman), (2000
)
Blissfully Yours, (Sud sanaeha) (2002
)
The Adventure of Iron Pussy, (Hua jai tor ra nong), co-director (2003
)
Tropical Malady, (Sud pralad) (2004
)
Intimacy and Turbulence (2006
)
Utopia (Thai film) (in development)

Short films

Bullet (1993
)
0116643225059 (1994
)
Like the Relentless Fury of the Pounding Waves (1996
)
Kitchen and Bedroom (1994)
Thirdworld (1998
)
Ghost of Asia, co-director (2005
)
Worldly Desires (2004
)

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Apichatpong Weerasethakul ]

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