Four young people travel to Kanchanaburi, in the west of Thailand, to the World War II memorial site ‘Death Railway’, built to honour the tens of thousands of P.O.W.s who lost their lives there. Stepping into a place of such deep and troubled history, they feel estranged by its apparent peacefulness and beauty. In parallel is the story of a woman alone in the forest after her friend mysteriously disappears.

Anocha Suwichakornpong’s niche experimental film, shot in just five days, draws on many formal devices – 4:3 aspect ratio; stark black and white and deep focus; split screen; animated elements, and non-synchronous all add to the uncanny.

Suwichakornpong’s work is informed by the socio-political history of Thailand. By looking into cultural appropriations and history, the film raises questions about the relationship between art, life, and politics.

Screening as part of the East Asia Film Festival Ireland 2021, March 25th to March 28th.