This film following the closure of an old standalone cinema will crush you
New Thai indie documentary explores the hardships of modern Bangkok through the story of a film projectionist forced into unemployment.
Wattanapume "Best" Laisuwanchai, 29, is one of the founders of visual design company Eyedropper Fill, known for installation art events like Heineken’s Behind the Star Experience and music videos for indie bands like Desktop Error (watch “Namkhang”). His passion for film has now led to Phantom of Illumination, a documentary about a film projectionist forced into unemployment when the cinema he works at is marked for demolition, which debuts this Aug 17 at SF World Cinema and Aug 31 at House RCA. Here he tells us the harsh reality behind his film.
Wattanapume ‘Best’ Laisuwanchai
What's the film about?
This documentary looks at the life of a 50-year-old movie projectionist from Surin, Sumrith ‘Rith’ Praprakone, after the closure of Thonburi Rama, a cinema where he had been working for decades. It's the story of an unemployed person who is basically now unemployable due to his age.
This documentary looks at the life of a 50-year-old movie projectionist from Surin, Sumrith ‘Rith’ Praprakone, after the closure of Thonburi Rama, a cinema where he had been working for decades. It's the story of an unemployed person who is basically now unemployable due to his age.
What's the meaning of the name, Phantom of Illumination?
For me, "phantom" connotes ambiguity, mystery, fantasy slash horror, while ‘illumination’ is light or enlightenment. Together they symbolize Rith's feelings of abandonment and directionless; a feeling that everything in life is an illusion caused by one's mind.
For me, "phantom" connotes ambiguity, mystery, fantasy slash horror, while ‘illumination’ is light or enlightenment. Together they symbolize Rith's feelings of abandonment and directionless; a feeling that everything in life is an illusion caused by one's mind.
What was your inspiration for the film?
I’ve always wanted to make a film, but never had the chance until my final thesis when I made a film about my parents. It’s called Passing Through the Night and it got an Orizzonti Award Nomination at the 68th Venice International Film Festival. Initially, I wanted to make a film about how my parents met and started their relationship. I’m fascinated by those old-school dates. I wanted to make a film about my father and mother when they were just lovebirds. And that how the idea of independent cinemas came across my mind. My dad had to wait for my mum at the cinema. It was where people would go to flirt back in those days. Independent cinemas are full of history, and not just the place itself—so many different generations of families have passed through them. But I rewrote the whole plot when I found out about Thonburi Rama. I met Rith there. He lived inside the cinema at the time, even though it had already shut down, and I found his life intriguing. The filmmaking process took me three years. It’s my individual project, not Eyedropper Fill’s, but I got some help from the crew. I filmed this documentary with Canon 5D Mark III. It was a real big challenge for me.
I’ve always wanted to make a film, but never had the chance until my final thesis when I made a film about my parents. It’s called Passing Through the Night and it got an Orizzonti Award Nomination at the 68th Venice International Film Festival. Initially, I wanted to make a film about how my parents met and started their relationship. I’m fascinated by those old-school dates. I wanted to make a film about my father and mother when they were just lovebirds. And that how the idea of independent cinemas came across my mind. My dad had to wait for my mum at the cinema. It was where people would go to flirt back in those days. Independent cinemas are full of history, and not just the place itself—so many different generations of families have passed through them. But I rewrote the whole plot when I found out about Thonburi Rama. I met Rith there. He lived inside the cinema at the time, even though it had already shut down, and I found his life intriguing. The filmmaking process took me three years. It’s my individual project, not Eyedropper Fill’s, but I got some help from the crew. I filmed this documentary with Canon 5D Mark III. It was a real big challenge for me.
Still from Phantom of Illumination
Does Thonburi Rama have any significant meaning to you?
I can’t give you a straight yes or no about this one. Basically, I don’t have any personal history with the cinema, because I only became aware of its existence when it had shut already. But I see it has a significant place of its neighborhood. So as a Bangkokian, I feel like it’s a part of this city’s history. It was where people came to enjoy the films; where people came to connect and build relationships.
I can’t give you a straight yes or no about this one. Basically, I don’t have any personal history with the cinema, because I only became aware of its existence when it had shut already. But I see it has a significant place of its neighborhood. So as a Bangkokian, I feel like it’s a part of this city’s history. It was where people came to enjoy the films; where people came to connect and build relationships.
What do you think about the documentary industry in Thailand?
Documentaries are growing in popularity, especially in Bangkok, where more people are appreciating them as both a source of education and entertainment. I feel like things have definitely picked up since BBC Earth was screened in cinemas a few years ago. The BBC has played a big role in the way people view documentaries as something exciting.
Documentaries are growing in popularity, especially in Bangkok, where more people are appreciating them as both a source of education and entertainment. I feel like things have definitely picked up since BBC Earth was screened in cinemas a few years ago. The BBC has played a big role in the way people view documentaries as something exciting.
Still from Phantom of Illumination
What do you hope the audience gets out of your film?
People might think this film is all about standalone cinemas, when in reality it's not. We filmed the life of a former movie projectionist at a pivotal stage of his life where he can't find a new job no matter how hard he tries. He’s judged by society as too old to start a new job in his fifties as he has no useful skills besides film projecting. He doesn’t want to go home to live with his family, because he feels that will only make things harder on them, and there are no jobs for him back home anyway. It's a portrait of someone put under intense pressure, like so many people in modern Bangkok. Yet Rith is also something of a philosopher. He reads a lot and has experienced a lot, so has a lot of wisdom despite not going to university. I hope it gives a new insight into the realities facing the working class in Bangkok without being overly dramatic.
People might think this film is all about standalone cinemas, when in reality it's not. We filmed the life of a former movie projectionist at a pivotal stage of his life where he can't find a new job no matter how hard he tries. He’s judged by society as too old to start a new job in his fifties as he has no useful skills besides film projecting. He doesn’t want to go home to live with his family, because he feels that will only make things harder on them, and there are no jobs for him back home anyway. It's a portrait of someone put under intense pressure, like so many people in modern Bangkok. Yet Rith is also something of a philosopher. He reads a lot and has experienced a lot, so has a lot of wisdom despite not going to university. I hope it gives a new insight into the realities facing the working class in Bangkok without being overly dramatic.
Watch the trailer of Phantom of Illumination below:
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