Synopsis:
A housekeeper receives a film made by her daughter. Combining found footage of Thailand during the Cold War with present-day images of Bangkok, the film reminds her of anecdotes she heard from the woman she works for and it triggers a re-telling of her own story of coming to the capital.
HERE WE ARE seeks to portray the present by reflecting on the past, how the legacy of colonization has survived and been normalized nowadays. - ("19th Forum Expanded: Distant Connections", 74th Berlinale)
- https://www.berlinale.de/en/2024/topics/forum-expanded-2024.html
- https://www.arsenal-berlin.de/en/forum-forum-expanded/programm-forum-expanded/filme/here-we-are/
Statement:
The genesis of the project was inspired by an interview with a person who participated in the student revolutionary movement in 1976. Since her family, especially her father used to work with United States Operation Mission in Bangkok, she grew up under the influence of American dream and the concept of liberty and justice. Her story initiated me to further investigate the related subjects and turn it into a film.
My research focuses on the historical relationship between the United States and Thailand and the concept of crypto-colonization during the Cold War through archival materials including documents, magazines, films produced by United States Information Service. I want to show the aftereffects of the so-called “development” resulted from the era, how it paradoxically exploits people outside the centralised Bangkok. “Here We Are” seeks to portray the present through the reflection of the past, how the legacy of colonization has survived and normalized nowadays.
Year of Production: 2023 (Thailand)
Running Time: 19:40 Minutes
Formats: Film / 2K, HD / Color / Stereo
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (4:3)
Language: Thai with English Subtitles
Production Company: We Wide Wave
Commissioned by: Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (BACC)
Screenings / Exhibitions:
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“Early Years Project #6: In a Cogitation” Exhibition, Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (BACC), Thailand, 2023
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“R.D. Pestanji Award (Short Film Competition)”, 27th Thai Short Film and Video Festival, Thai Film Archive, Thailand, 2023
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“Director in Focus”, 1st Doc Club Festival, Bangkok, Thailand, 2024
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"19th Forum Expanded: Distant Connections", 74th Berlinale - Berlin International Film Festival, Germany, 2024
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“This Part of Me Which is You”, 14th Alchemy Film and Moving Image Festival, Hawick, Scotland, 2024
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“Pesaro Nuovo Cinema Competition”, 60th Mostra Internazionale Del Nuovo Cinema (Pesaro International Film Festival), Pesaro, Italy 2024
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“Short Film for Screening Docs”, 32nd Bangkok Critics Assembly, Doc Club & Pub., Thailand, 2024
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“INDENTIDAD EN TRANCE”, 8th MUTA - International Audiovisual Appropriation Festival, Peru, 2024
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“memothod”, 4th non-syntax Experimental Image, Roof Light, Taiwan, 2024
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27th Antimatter International Media Art and Experimental Cinema, Victoria BC, Canada, 2024
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“Fractales”, 8th Cámara Lúcida - International Contemporary Film Festival, Ecuador, 2024
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“Re:View - These Loud Silences”, 8th SeaShorts Film Festival, Malaysia, 2024
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“QCShorts International Competition”, 12th QCinema International Film Festival, Quezon City, Philippines, 2024