Arnold is a Model Student

Thailand, Singapore, France, Netherlands, Philippines / 2022 / 84 min
Director：Sorayos PRAPAPAN

Arnold, winner of both the gold medal at the International Mathematics Olympiad and the “Model Student” award at his school. One day he meets Mr. Bee, who runs an underground business helping students to cheat on their college entrance exams, and ends up joining him in his racket. At the same time, many of his classmates have started to protest, in frustration with the school’s contempt for their freedom. The feature film debut of Sorayos PRAPAPAN, who began his career as production assistant on Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL’s “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” (2010) and went on to direct many short films while working mainly as a sound engineer. An entertaining film full of witty humour and sarcasm with an undercurrent of quiet anger, the script went through major revisions in light of the “Bad Student” protest movement by high school students that actually occurred in Thailand in 2020. The manner in which PRAPAPAN has the film skillfully shifting between cynicism and sincerity is brilliant. Had its world premiere in the Concorso Cineasti del presente section for emerging directors at the 2022 Locarno Film Festival.

• Details

Come Here

Thailand / 2021 / 69 min
Director：Anocha SUWICHAKORNPONG

旧日本陸軍の強制労働によって何万人もの命が落とされたタイ西部のカンチャナブリにある「死の鉄道」記念碑を訪れる四人の若者と、友人が謎の失踪をし、彷徨う一人の女の姿を並行して描く。ベルリン映画祭フォーラム部門にてプレミア上映。日本では福岡のAsian Film Jointにて監督の特集上映の一環として初上映された。

• Details

By the Time it Gets Dark

Thailand, Netherlands, France, Qatar / 2016 / 105 min
Director：Anocha SUWICHAKORNPONG

ある女性映画監督が70年代のタイの学生運動活動家で後に作家になった女性をインタビューするエピソードと、有名俳優やウェイトレスの物語が併行して描かれ、過去と現在、虚構と現実が交錯し互いを侵食していき、次第にタイの歴史と現在の姿を浮かびあがっていく。ロカルノ映画祭のインターナショナル・コンペティション部門でプレミア上映。日本では翌年の大阪アジアン映画祭で初上映された。

• Details

Last Night I Saw You Smiling

Cambodia, France / 2019 / 77 min
Director：NEANG Kavich

The "White Building" is a Phnom Penh housing complex known for its distinctive architectural style that was built in 1963. Also recognized as a historic building which survived the Khmer Rouge years, the apartments have continued to deteriorate. In 2017 the building was set to be demolished after being acquired by a Japanese company. Director NEANG Kavich, who was born and raised in the White Building, took a camera into the building before its demolishment and captured the last days of the various people living there for this documentary. The film is a portrait of the community at the housing complex.There are people still going about their day normally, but many who have resided there for a long time have already begun preparing to move out. NEANG's documentary gives audiences the valuable experience of witnessing the process of a building in which people have resided for over 50 years gradually becoming abandoned. "Diamond Island" (2016) director Davy CHOU serves as producer. Winner of the NETPAC Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.

• Details

White Building

Cambodia, France, China, Qatar / 2021 / 90 min
Director：NEANG Kavich

“The White Building” is a communal housing apartment with a very unique design built in Phnom Pen in 1963. A young man named Samnang lives there with his family, and he and two friends are pouring their youthful hopes and dreams into rehearsals for a TV dance competition. But the building is scheduled to be demolished. Samnang's father is the spokesperson for the residents but feels cornered when the residents’committee dissolves into warring factions. And then his best friend decides to leave Cambodia... Director NEANG Kavich grew up in the White Building and his previous film, “Last Night I Saw You Smiling” (2019), was a documentary about the demolition of the apartments. This latest film is a fictional exploration of the experiences of the residents on the eve of the destruction of the apartments. The film had its world premiere in the Orizzonti (Horizons) Section of the Venice Film Festival.

• Details

Singing in Graveyards

Malaysia, Philippines / 2016 / 141 min
Director：Bradley LIEW

伝説のロックスター、ジョーイのモノマネに人生を捧げて細々と暮らす68歳のぺぺに、ある日ジョーイの復活ライブの前座の仕事を持ち込まれる。実在した歌手ジョーイ・スミスが本人役とぺぺ役の両方を演じ、想像と現実の狭間を行き来しながらペペが自分だけの表現を模索する姿を描く。ベネチア映画祭の批評家週間にてワールドプレミア上映。日本では2017年の大阪アジアン映画祭にて初上映された。

• Details

Aswang

Phillipines / 2020 / 86 min
Director：Alyx Ayn ARUMPAC

After Philippine President Duterte assumed office in 2016, extreme legislation was approved allowing the execution without trial of suspects by police under the pretext of ending the war on drugs. This has resulted in a large death toll and has been strongly criticized both in the Philippines and abroad as a gross human rights violation. Alyx Ayn ARUMPAC's feature-length debut is a documentary which chronicles people struggling under this state of affairs. Shown in the film is a journalist speaking out against the unjust acts, a missionary offering care for the victim's families, and street children whose parents have been imprisoned.The title of the film, "Aswang," refers to a bloodsucking demon which appears in Filipino folklore.What this actually signifies most likely requires no explanation.Screened at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.

• Details

Transit

Philippines / 2013 / 93 min
Director：Hannah ESPIA

Filipino laborer Moises, who works in the Israeli city of Herzliya, returns to his apartment in Tel Aviv to celebrate the birthday of his four-year-old son. On that day, Moises and his neighbor and compatriot Janet learn that a change in the Israeli government's immigration policy means the children of foreign workers will be deported. They each come up with ways of hiding the existence of their own children, but... Hannah ESPIA's directorial debut "Transit", which won multiple awards in the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival's New Breed section including Best Film, sheds light on the intriguing issue of migrant laborers in Israel. The performances from its ensemble cast are also superb.

• Details

The Seen and Unseen

Indonesia, Netherlands, Australia, Qatar / 2017 / 86 min
Director：Kamila Andini

10-year-old Tantri is staring death in the face. Her twin brother Tantra has a brain disorder that confines him to a hospital bed, and she knows he will not live much longer. Every night, Tantri’s emotions are set free when Tantra appears before her as his old self, and the siblings dance in the moonlight... This fantastic vision was created by Kamila ANDINI, the daughter of prominent Indonesia filmmaker Garin NUGROHO, and inspired by a Balinese legend. A mythical world where reality and illusions mix is revealed within gorgeous visuals. Its music is supplied by sound designer MORINAGA Yasuhiro, who continues to collaborate with directors from Southeast Asia. Screened in the Toronto International Film Festival’s Platform section.

• Details

Wet Season

Singapore, Taiwan / 2019 / 103 min
Director：Anthony CHEN

Malaysian-born Ling is a Chinese language teacher at an all-male school in Singapore. Married 8 years but without any children, she is under a great deal of pressure. Her self-centered husband is indifferent to what Ling is feeling and doesn't even cooperate with the infertility treatment she suffers through. On the other hand, she has begun building a close relationship with one of her pupils, Wei Lun. This relationship crosses beyond a teacher-student bond and greatly shakes Ling.... The long-awaited second film by Anthony CHEN, whose "Ilo llo" (2013) won the Cannes Film Festival's Camera d'Or, is a very delicately depicted drama unfolding amid the damp air of Singapore's rainy season. YEO Yann Yann and KOH Jia Ler who respectively played the mother and son in "Ilo llo" once again co-star in this film and deliver performances surpassing even their previous work. World premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Won awards for the Best Chinese-language Film, Best Actress, and the Cinephilia Critics' Award at the Pingyao International Film Festival.

• Details

Jang-Gae

Taiwan / 2019 / 103 min
Director : CHANG Chih-Wei

台湾系中国人で韓国で生まれ育った高校生のクァンヤンは周りとは異なる境遇によって様々な問題への直面を強いられる。彼のアイデンティティを気にせず打ち解ける少女が現れるが...。チャン・チーウェイ監督の辛辣な青春映画のデビュー作で、第33回東京国際映画祭で上映された。

• Details

Leonor Will Never Die

Philippines / 2022 / 99 min
Director : Martika Ramirez ESCOBAR

＊11月4日（土）上映回では、監督が来日してのトークイベントも予定

落ちてきたテレビが頭にぶつかり、心残りだった脚本の世界へと紛れ込んでしまう元映画監督のレオノール。自らがアクションヒーローにならざるを得なくなったとき、未完の脚本に終止符を打とうとする。サンダンス映画祭で審査員特別賞受賞。日本では大阪アジアン映画祭にて初上映された。2024年1月にイメージフォーラム他にて劇場公開予定。

提携：国際交流基金マニラ日本文化センター

• Details