Vampire

Sud vikal

Thailand, France

2008

19 Min

Color

Thai

Currently 3.1/5 Stars.
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PROD Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Louis Vuitton

CAST Jaai Loongsu, Nitipong Tintubthai, Suchada Sirithanawuddhi, Chalermrat Kaweewattana, Chaisiri Jiwarangsan

SOUND Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr

Synopsis

Somewhere along the border of Thailand and Burma lives a creature called Nok Phii (Ghost Bird). Or there used to live one.

If exists, apart from the Vampire Finch of the Galapagos Islands, Nok Phii would be the only species of bird that feeds on other animals’ blood. In several of the local tales, Nok Phii is portrayed as an aggressive nocturnal predator. In some stories, it even attacks human. In 2007, a sighting of a male and female Nok Phii in a remote mountain was reported by the villagers in the north of Thailand. There was a speculation that this was the only pair left in the world.

This supposedly small with large eyes bird has never been captured, dead or alive. There are no remains. Without concrete evidence, this rare bird might only be an imaginary animal associated with alluring danger and mythical aura.

Vampire is a dream of the strange avian and its habitat, an impression of a voyage to capture this unusual treasure on film. The project is made possible by Louis Vuitton. —Kick the Machine

Director

Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Apichatpong “Joe” Weerasethakul (Thai: อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล; born July 16, 1970) is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. His feature films include Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, winner of the prestigious 2010 Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or prize; Tropical Malady, which won a jury prize at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival; Blissfully Yours, which won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard program at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival; and Syndromes and a Century, which premiered at the 63rd Venice Film Festival and was the first Thai film to be entered in competition there.

Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, Weerasethakul has directed several features and dozens of short films. Themes reflected in his films (frequently discussed in interviews) include dreams, nature, sexuality (including his own homosexuality), and Western perceptions of Thailand and Asia, and his films… read more