Thaweechok Phasom's film "Spirits of the Black Leaves" explores Mlabri tribe's personal and political narratives.
Spirits of the Black Leaves (2023), the thesis film by Thaweechok Phasom, weaves together three pivotal stories from his life. It opens with documentary clips featuring the Mlabri tribe, also known as 'Phi Tong Luang,' who are nomadic hunter-gatherers residing in northern Thailand. A profound influence on the film is a Mlabri mother mourning the loss of her newborn. Thaweechok reflects on his own experience of his mother departing after a dispute with his father, feelings of shame and guilt permeating the narrative. Transitioning from documentary to fiction, the film follows a character that embodies the Mlabri mother. It premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in early 2024. Additionally, filmmaker Taiki Sakpisit included Thaweechok in ArtReview's Future Greats 2024 list.
Key facts
- Thaweechok Phasom created the thesis film Spirits of the Black Leaves in 2023
- The film incorporates three narratives: a Mlabri mother's story, Thaweechok's childhood memory, and another unspecified incident
- The Mlabri are a nomadic tribe in northern Thailand known as 'Phi Tong Luang' (Yellow Leaf Spirit)
- A Mlabri mother lost her child while working in a cornfield shortly after giving birth
- Thaweechok's mother temporarily left his father and retreated to her Tai Yai family near the Myanmar border
- The film screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in early 2024
- Thaweechok Phasom was selected for ArtReview's Future Greats 2024 list by Taiki Sakpisit
- Taiki Sakpisit is a filmmaker and artist based in Bangkok focusing on Thailand's sociopolitical tensions
Entities
Artists
- Thaweechok Phasom
- Taiki Sakpisit
Institutions
- ArtReview
- International Film Festival Rotterdam
Locations
- Thailand
- Myanmar
- Bangkok
- Rotterdam
- Netherlands