Wednesday, 5 September
6:30 p.m. – Korean Studies Auditorium

Directed by Jira Maligool
Thailand, 2001, 105 min
Isan Dialect and Thai with English Subtitles

A favorite on the festival circuit, and a blockbuster in Thailand as well, director Jira Maligool’s film mixes folk beliefs about mysterious ‘dragon lights’ emanating from the Mekong River with the skepticism of Bangkok scientists and news media out to prove the phenomenon is not what it seems. Add a layer of Buddhist monks doing their own sleuth work and you get an affectionate display of everyday culture in Thailand’s fascinating northeast region of Isan. This is also the first Thai feature film where most of the script is written in the Isan dialect, thus necessitating standard Thai subtitles so that Thai audiences could follow along. -Tip o’ the cap to Joe Cummings

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