Now this looks like it might be an interesting and unusual one, which could be well worth a look. While not Thailand’s first gay-themed movie it would appear this one goes further than any of them have before.
Here’s the synopsis: ‘Science fiction about a future Thailand. Futuristic, experimental, homo-erotic and with elements of a political essay. With a richness of themes and impressions that wouldn’t get past the censor in Thailand. The maker doesn’t mince his words and isn’t afraid to look reality in the eye.
‘In a futurist world, the Thai kingdom has been transformed by ‘The Leader’ into ‘the Realm of people who have done good deeds and earned merits’. It’s a nice place to be, even though the inhabitants are plagued by an indefinable nostalgia. In the old days, people could at least touch each other. Although the Realm has reached version 2.0, technical possibilities remain limited. This wondrous story of the future is interwoven with stories set in the present and past. According to Pansittivorakul, known for his independently-produced and taboo-breaking documentaries on homosexuality and politics, his first feature is science fiction, yet it is about today’s Thailand. For instance he criticizes the need for religion and superstition. But in the end, this very idiosyncratic, homo-erotically charged essay is above all about time: ‘Time influences everything. The past has to do with the present, and the present is linked to the future.’’
TLA plans to release the movie later this year. It’s currently screening at festivals.
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