Apichatpong Weerasethakul wins Cannes Jury Prize for Memoria, criticizes Thai government's pandemic response

Apichatpong Weerasethakul received the Jury Prize at Cannes for his film Memoria, marking his first English-language feature and initial production outside Thailand. The award was shared with Nadav Lapid's Ahed's Knee. Filmed in Colombia's Pijao and Bogotá mountains, the movie stars Tilda Swinton as orchid farmer Jessica visiting her ill sister. This victory adds to Weerasethakul's Cannes accolades, including a 2004 Jury Prize for Tropical Malady and the 2010 Palme d'Or for Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. During his acceptance speech, the artist-director condemned the Thai government's COVID-19 management, highlighting restricted travel and suffering due to resource mismanagement, healthcare failures, and vaccine access issues. He urged Thai, Colombian, and similarly situated governments to prioritize their citizens' needs immediately.