Tuesday, August 19, 2008

POLL 30: RUNNING IN THE FAMILY by Level 42

My poll 30 is inspired by many Thai films I just saw and like very much. These Thai films are documentaries about the directors’ own families. So I decided to make a list of my favorite films about this topic.

Normally I hate films which support the family institution, because they are usually didactic, and I can’t identify with the characters. But these Thai documentaries are not didactic. Most of them are just direct expression of love between the directors and the subjects of the films. I particularly love the film MY GRANDFATHER by Pichet Smerchua very much. Seeing his grandfather’s eyes and listening to his grandfather’ talk about life make me cry. I don’t know how Pichet did it, but I think this film is full of the power of LIFE.

Pichet Smerchua also directed BANGKOK BEAUTY (2008, A+), which was shown in the Bangkok Experimental Film Festival 5. You can watch this film in Pichet’s blog. It is at the bottom of his page.
http://hidoryfilmhomeproduct.spaces.live.com/default.aspx


I LOVE THESE FILMS WHICH ARE ABOUT THE DIRECTORS’ OWN FAMILIES. WHICH ONE DO YOU LIKE?

1.A CENTURY OF LOVE (2008, Chalermrat Gaweewattana, Thailand)

2.CHAC (2000, Kim-Chi Tyler, USA)

3.GHOSTS (2005, Anocha Suwichakornpong, Thailand)

4.HOMEMADE SAKE (2001, Ono Satoshi, Japan)

5.HOME VIDEO (2008, Yanin Pongsuwan, Thailand)

6.IMAGES OF THE ABSENCE (1998, German Kral, Argentina)

7.ITALIANAMERICAN (1974, Martin Scorsese, USA)

8.THE LONG DAY CLOSES (1992, Terence Davies, UK)

9.THE LOVE (2007, Supakit Seksuwan, Thailand)

10.MY GRANDFATHER (2008, Pichet Smerchua, Thailand)

11.MY MOTHER AND HER DARKNESS (2008, Wiwat Lertwiwatwongsa, Thailand)
You can watch this film here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_PX16nlFD4

12.NEVER CONGREGATE, NEVER DISREGARD (2007, Arin Rungjang, Thailand)

13.POP AND ME (1999, Chris Roe, USA)

14.SINK OR SWIM (1990, Su Friedrich, USA)

15.SLEEPING BEAUTY (2006, Chulyanon Siriphol, Thailand)

16.SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY (2006, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand)

17.TARNATION (2004, Jonathan Caouette, USA)

18.TU AS CRIE: LET ME GO (1997, Anne Claire Poirier, Canada)

19.UMMA (MOTHER) (2005, Hohyun Joung, South Korea)

20.WHEN I COMPOSE A LOVE SONG (เมื่อผมแต่งเพลงรัก) (2008, Tagoon Kempanya, Thailand)

You can cast multiple votes.

The theme song of this poll is RUNNING IN THE FAMILY by Level 42
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvcUcsYjoMU

1 comment:

celinejulie said...

My own vote is for A CENTURY OF LOVE, GHOSTS, THE LONG DAY CLOSES, MY GRANDFATHER, and TU AS CRIE: LET ME GO.