Location

The Royal Thai Embassy in partnership with the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Smithsonian Institution’s two museums for Asian Art, are bringing exceptional Thai films to showcase Thailand and the Thai film industry for American audience.

Three films will be shown under the theme “Reincarnations: Films from Thailand.” The first, entitled “Eternity,” is a story about a young couple whose bond is so strong it continues beyond the grave. It won the Tiger Award at the 2011 International Film Festival Rotterdam and Lotus Du Meilleur Film Grand Prix/Best Film Award at the 2011 Deauville Asian Film Festival.

The second movie, “Kon Khon,” is a story of love, revenge and friendship, set in the world of khon, a Thai version of the epic Ramayana. The film, released in late August 2011, is Thailand’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the upcoming 84th annual Academy Awards.

The final film in the series is entitled “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives,” winner of the acclaimed Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or (Golden Palm), the highest award given at the festival to the director of a feature film. The film centers on a man dying of kidney failure who is visited by the ghosts of his wife and son who prepare him for his journey to the afterlife and help him remember his past lives.

Friday, December 9, 7 pm “Eternity,” 105 minutes, Thai with English subtitles; directed by Sivaroj Kongsakul. The film will be introduced by Dr. Justin McDaniel, an associate professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

Saturday, December 10, 2 pm “Kon Khon,” 90 minutes, Thai with English subtitles; directed by Sarunyu Wongkrachang. The film will be preceded by a video introduction by the director videotaped especially for this screening.

Sunday, December 11, 2 pm “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives,” 114 minutes, Thai with English subtitles; directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
All three films will be screened at the Meyer Auditorium of the Freer Gallery of Art. Seating for films is free and available on a first-come first-serve basis. Auditorium doors will open approximately 30 minutes before each show.