Winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2010, Weerasethakul established himself as one of the world’s most original filmmakers with Tropical Malady (2005) which pushes the limits of both narrative and style. It’s a film of two halves – the first a gay romance between a Thai soldier and a country boy, the second a supernatural journey through the jungle where the soldier is tracking a shape-shifting tiger.

In this introduction to the film as a part of Decalogue, Watershed's year long season of events reflecting on cinema from 2000 - 2009, Mark Cosgrove and Adam O'Brien discuss Weerasethakul’s influence in the worlds of both art and film. They suggest that it his singular and distinctive vision, which provides an immersive and personal experience through film, that marks him out as one the most important directors of the last decade

Mark Cosgrove is Head of Programme at Watershed and Adam O’Brien is a PhD student at University of Bristol. They are the co-creators of Decalogue.

Related Links:
BFI Sight & Sound; Tropical Malady Review

Posted on Sun 25 July 2010.

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