9 Temples to Heaven
In this film produced by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, a Thai family embarks on a pilgrimage to nine temples in an attempt to prevent a prophetic dream about their grandmother’s death from coming true.
After a fortune teller warns him that his elderly mother may die soon, Sakol brings together his ailing mother, his wife, siblings, and children, to go on a 1-day pilgrimage to nine temples in an attempt to save her.
What results is a road movie unlike any you’ve seen before, in which we become enveloped in the rhythm of Buddhist rituals, and observe as the family navigate simmering intergenerational tensions and conflicting views on tradition and religion, all while the matriarch becomes increasingly frail.
The film draws on director-screenwriter Sompot Chidgasornpongse’s own experiences with his family, and is produced by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, for whom Sompot worked as an assistant director on several films including Tropical Malady (2004), and Memoria (R&A 2021).
The influence of Apichatpong is clear in the film’s gentle, observational style, as well as in its rich sound design and moments of mysticism. The Thai landscape is evocatively captured by cinematographer Jonathan Ricqueborg, known for his work on The Taste of Things (R&A 2023). As the title suggests, the film has a precise, methodical framework, which owes a debt to celebrated structuralist filmmaker James Benning (10 Skies, 2004), whom Sompot studied under at CalArts.
Daniel Sundvik
Screenings
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Kino Engel 1Fri 18.9. at 18.30–20.30120 min, 1/3
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Kinopalatsi 7Tue 22.9. at 20.45–22.45120 min, 2/3
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WHS Teatteri UnionSat 26.9. at 18.15–20.15120 min, 3/3