Festival Note
The Southern Thai town of Songkhla is under threat from coastal erosion. It is in this place that Muslim poet Shati (Ilada Pitsuwan) meets artist Fon (Rawipa Srisanguan), who has traveled from Bangkok for an exhibit bringing awareness to the impending environmental disaster. Shati is torn between her religious upbringing and a burgeoning affection for Fon, and faces an inner turmoil reflected in the chaos brought on by the monsoons. Casually melding folklore with modern concerns, director Boontarig employs a magical realist approach to sort through the eternal conflict between faith and identity.
Ang bayan ng Songkhla sa Timog ng Thailand ay nasa ilalim ng banta mula sa pagguho ng baybayin. Dito nakilala ng makatang Muslim na si Shati (Ilada Pitsuwan) ang artist na si Fon (Rawipa Srisanguan), na naglakbay mula sa Bangkok para sa isang eksibit na nagdadala ng kamalayan sa paparating na sakuna sa kapaligiran. Si Shati ay nahahati ng kanyang relihiyosong pagpapalaki at sa kanyang umuusbong na pagmamahal para kay Fon, habang dinadaanan ang isang panloob na kaguluhan na sabay na nakikita sa kaguluhan na dala ng tag-ulan. Kaswal na pinaghalo ang alamat sa mga modernong alalahanin, ang direktor na si Boontarig ay gumagamit ng magical realism upang harapin ang walang katapusang salungatan sa pagitan ng pananampalataya at pagkakakilanlan.
Patiparn Boontarig studied film and photography at Thammasat University in Thailand and completed the Asian Film Academy at the Busan International Film Festival. His short films have been screened at various international film festivals, including the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival. He was first assistant director on Phuttiphong Aroonpheng’s Manta Ray (2018) and Jakrawal Nilthamrong’s Anatomy of Time (2021). Solids by the Seashore is Boontarig’s feature directorial debut.