Cemetery of Splendour
| Cemetery of Splendour | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Directed by | Apichatpong Weerasethakul |
| Written by | Apichatpong Weerasethakul |
| Starring | Jenjira Pongpas |
| Cinematography | Diego García |
| Edited by | Lee Chatametikool |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 122 minutes |
| Country | Thailand |
| Language | Thai |
| Box office | $83,250[1] |
Cemetery of Splendour (Thai: Rak Ti Khon Kaen) is a 2015 Thai drama film written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The plot revolves around a spreading epidemic of sleeping sickness where spirits appear to the stricken and hallucination becomes indistinguishable from reality. The epidemic is used as a metaphor for personal and Thai societal issues.[2]
The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim.[3][4]
Plot
Soldiers with a mysterious sleeping sickness are transferred to a temporary clinic in a former school. The memory-filled space becomes a revelatory world for housewife and volunteer Jenjira, as she watches over Itt, a handsome soldier with no family visitors. Jen befriends young medium Keng who uses her psychic powers to help loved ones communicate with the comatose men. Doctors explore ways, including colored light therapy, to ease the men's troubled dreams. Jen discovers Itt's cryptic notebook of strange writings and blueprint sketches. There may be a connection between the soldiers' enigmatic syndrome and the mythic ancient site that lies beneath the clinic. Magic, healing, romance and dreams are all part of Jen's tender path to a deeper awareness of herself and the world around her.
Cast
- Banlop Lomnoi as Itt
- Jenjira Pongpas as Jenjira
- Petcharat Chaiburi as Nurse Tet
Release
Cemetery of Splendour premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section.[3][4]
Reception
Critical response
Cemetery of Splendour has received universal acclaim from critics.[5] On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds a 95% approval rating based on 44 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10, with the consensus stating: "Cemetery of Splendour gracefully eludes efforts to pin down its meaning while offering patient viewers another gently hypnotic wonder from writer/director Apichatpong Weerasethakul."[6] On Metacritic, the film currently has a weighted average score of 87/100 based on 17 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[5]
Year-end lists
Cemetery of Splendour was ranked 5th in the Sight & Sound 20 best films of 2015,[7] and Cahiers du Cinema's Top Ten List of 2015 placed it 2nd.[8]
Awards and nominations
| List of accolades | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Award / Film festival | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
| Asia Pacific Screen Awards | Best Film | Apichatpong Weerasethakul | Won |
| Achievement in Directing | Apichatpong Weerasethakul | Nominated | |
| 2015 Cannes Film Festival | Un Certain Regard Award | Apichatpong Weerasethakul | Nominated |
| 2016 International Cinephile Society Awards | ICS Award | Apichatpong Weerasethakul | Won |
| 2015 London Film Festival | Best Film | Apichatpong Weerasethakul | Nominated |
| Online Film Critics Society Awards 2015 | Best Non-U.S. Release | Apichatpong Weerasethakul | Won |
| 2015 Pancevo Film Festival | Lighthouse Award | Apichatpong Weerasethakul | Won |
| 2015 Catalonian International Film Festival | Best Motion Picture | Apichatpong Weerasethakul | Nominated |
References
- ↑ "Cemetery of Splendour". The Numbers. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- ↑ Justin Chang. "'Cemetery of Splendor' Review: Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Latest Enigma - Variety". Variety. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
- 1 2 "Complement to the Official Selection". Cannes Film Festival. 23 April 2015. Archived from the original on 5 May 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- 1 2 "Screenings Guide". Festival de Cannes. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- 1 2 "Cemetery of Splendour". Metacritic. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- ↑ "Cemetery of Splendor". www.rottentomatoes.com. 2016-03-04. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ↑ "The 20 best films of 2015". British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
- ↑ "Top Ten 2015". cahiersducinema.net. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
External links
- Cemetery of Splendour at the Internet Movie Database
- Cemetery of Splendour at Rotten Tomatoes
- Cemetery of Splendour at Metacritic