Cemetery of Splendor

Soldiers with a mysterious sleeping sickness are transferred to a temporary clinic in a former school. The memory-filled space becomes a revelatory world for housewife and volunteer Jenjira, as she watches over Itt, a handsome soldier with no family visitors. Jen befriends young medium Keng who uses her psychic powers to help loved ones communicate with the comatose men. Doctors explore ways, including colored light therapy, to ease the mens’ troubled dreams. Jen discovers Itt’s cryptic notebook of strange writings and blueprint sketches. There may be a connection between the soldiers’ enigmatic syndrome and the mythic ancient site that lies beneath the clinic. Magic, healing, romance and dreams are all part of Jen’s tender path to a deeper awareness of herself and the world around her.
Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.
Script: Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Cinematography: Diego Garcia
Editing: Lee Chatametikool
Sound: Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr
Actors: Jenjira Pongpas Widner (Jen), Jarinpattra Rueangram (Keng), Banlop Lomnoi (Itt)
Production: Kick the Machine Films, Thailand www.kickthemachine.com & Illuminations Films, UΚ T.+44 1304 371 625 info@illuminationsfilms.co.uk www.illuminationsfilms.co.uk
Producers: Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Keith Griffiths, Simon Field, Charles de Meaux, Michael Weber, Hans Gei?endorfer
Co-production: Αnna Sanders Films (France), Gei?endorfer Film- und Fernsehproduktion (Germany), Match Factory Productions (Germany), ZDF/arte (Germany) and Astro Shaw (Malaysia), Asia Culture Center-Asian Arts Theat
Costumes: Phim U-mari
Production Design: Akekarat Homlaor
Format: DCP Color
Production Country: Thailand-UK-France-Germany-Malaysia
Production Year: 2015
Duration: 122
Contact: The Match Factory, GermanyT.+49 30 443 190 520 F. +49 30 443 190 530 info@matchfactory.de www.the-match-factory.com

Apichatpong Weerasethakul

He was born in Bangkok and grew up in Khon Kaen in northeastern Thailand. He holds a degree in Architecture from Khon Kaen University and an MFA in Filmmaking from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He began making film and video shorts in 1994, and completed his first feature in 2000. He has also mounted exhibitions and installations in many countries since 1998. In 2005, he was presented with Silpatorn, one of Thailand’s most prestigious awards for visual artists, by the Thai Ministry of Culture. In 2008, he became the first artist to receive the Fine Prize from the 55th Carnegie International, USA. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives won the Palme d’Or at the 63rd Cannes IFF in 2010, making it the first Southeast Asian film (and the 7th from Asia) to win this most prestigious award in the film world. He lives and works in Chiangmai, Thailand. Cemetery of Splendor is the first film he has shot in the town where he grew up.

Filmography

(selected)
1994 0116643225059 (short)
2002 Sud Sanaeha/ Blissfully Yours
2004 Sud Pralad/ Tropical Malady
2006 Sang Sattawat/ Syndromesanda Century
2010 Lung Boonmee Raluek Chat/ Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
2015 Rak Ti Khon Kaen/ Cemetery of Splendor