Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives - English subtiltled
A completely unique, mysterious film about a kidney patient who knows his end is near and retreats to the Thai countryside to reflect on his (past) lives and impending death. Awarded the Palme d'Or at Cannes.
After retiring to the Thai countryside – surrounded by family members – Boonmee is visited by the ghost of his deceased wife during a tropical night. In addition, his long-lost son also returns, albeit in a non-human form. They accompany Boonmee during his final hours as he struggles with his conscience, haunted by memories of the war against the communists. In the end, Boonmee goes to a mysterious cave in the mountains: the place where his first life began and where his present life will come to an end.
The profane and the spiritual intertwine in the work of Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul, whose films are rooted in the mythical stories of his childhood in Thailand's Isan province. Animism, spirit apparitions, reincarnation, and even a sexual encounter with a catfish are among the many elements of this brooding jungle journey. Ultimately, the film suggests that life and death are not separate, distinct realms but rather interconnected.