the great thing about film festivals is the diversity on offer
the opportunity to take a risk on a film not likely to see otherwise
this one fits the bill - a film from thailand with narcolepsy a theme
sleeping sickness - the tendency to fall asleep in relaxed surroundings
the program suggesting the film itself is so gentle that could happen
so for me - it's strong black coffee at hand as i settle in for 2 hours
as the credits roll on a black background machinery can be heard
the opening scene showing diggers at work with soldiers watching
an army truck backs up presumably to be loaded up with excavations
that would be the the ancient cemetery standing in the way of progress
from inside a neighbouring building we see young men lying on beds
a middle-aged woman with a distinctive limp then enters the room
jenjira is greeted as an old friend and workmate of the senior nurse
their conversation used to explain the men have sleeping sickness
(with later reading revealing they were workers on the excavation)
the tone of the film is established - slow and gentle with little dialogue
long and wide camera shots and minimal camera or character movement
a young lady - keng - comes to visit the patients and befriends jenjira
keng says she has the powers of a medium she uses to contact patients
we watch and wait as the 2 ladies sit alongside men laying still on beds
not much talking, not much action, not much anything but very serene
a sense of calm and relaxation moving from the screen to the audience
me - very happy to slump back in my seat and let it all wash over me
the 2 friends move around the confines of the make-shift hospital
they are seen praying and talking at a typical (tacky) prayer station
jenjira talks about her american husband whom she recently married
keng talks about the 2 princesses seen as statues in front of them
(later reading also revealing the excavation is of an ancient temple)
and soon after 2 attractive women join the pair in conversation
a suggestion that they are the princesses now in modern clothing
and with that the film moves into a surreal and quite mystical mode
at times not knowing whether we are seeing reality or some illusion
reality presents itself as bright coloured neon tubes next to each bed
this to assist in rousing the soldiers with the room oddly illuminated
and arousal happens - the ladies giggling at one soldier's erection
the mystical is presented as keng guides jenjira around the temple
they conversing as though they are present many centuries earlier
in an outdoor setting the friends talk more about modern issues
jenjira a victim of polio and struggling with pain in her legs
keng then providing a massage of limbs clearly disfigured
as the scenes roll by i find myself quite becalmed by it all
there's no such thing as a 'narrative arc' with this film
but the biggest surprise for me - the ending - it just stops
ok with that but i'd be surprised if 2 hours have elapsed
a check of the watch confirms that - did i fall asleep - no?
and recalling a warning that this film can totally absorb
i'm going with that - so happy to have given the time...
