Festival 2022
Malila: The Farewell Flower
Thailand, 2017
FeatureFocus ThailandQ&A
Directed by
Anucha Boonyawatana
Anucha Boonyawatana
Running time
96 min mins
96 min mins
In this lyrical meditation on the fragility of life, former lovers Shane and Pitch reunite after years apart, and having experienced a series of personal tragedies. Pich has a terminal illness and finds peace in painstakingly creating exquisite Bai Sri ornaments, delicate flower sculptures used in Thai religious ceremonies. Shane is struggling to come to terms with the death of his daughter, and the subsequent disintegration of his marriage. When the pair reconnect, together they must try to heal the wounds of their past, and rekindling their relationship, Pich and Shane begin to release themselves from the pain that has burdened them for so many years. Touching performances and vivid cinematography characterise director Anucha Boonyawatana’s mesmerising second feature, a hypnotic contemplation of desire and loss.
This screening is followed by an in-person Q&A with the director Anucha Boonyawatana.
Tickets
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Director Bio
Born in Nakhon Phanom in 1981, Anucha Boonyawatana is a Thai independent director and the founder of G-Motif Production, one of the largest production companies in Thailand. Anucha’s thesis film Down the River won the Young Thai Artist Award. Her other films have competed in various festivals including at the Berlinale in the Shorts and Panorama programmes, and have won awards at the Busan IFF, Singapore IFF, and Golden Horse awards.
Trailer