5. (Wela) Anatomy of Time (Jakrawal Nilthamrong, Thailand)
Jakrawal Nilthamrong's sophomore feature film could have easily been called something like “The Anatomy of Silence” since dialogues appear only scarcely, and when they do, they don't contribute much to the film's plot with only one lonely exception. When we are finally faced with a longish conversation between the father and daughter in which the world religions are being discussed, it doesn't even matter that the man doesn't get all facts right (Christians believe in Jehova) because he makes a point about the humankind being stuck in its systems of beliefs regardless of race, nation or religion. It's a scene that bears a huge importance for the storyline, because being stuck is what the young woman Maem (Prapamonton Eiamchan) listening to her father, will eventually be.(Marina Richter)
4. The Sea Calls for Me (Tumpal Tampubolon, Indonesia)
Tumpal Tampubolon directs a film that is equally delightful, sensitive, and dramatic, focusing on the blights of life of the lower “castes” of Indonesia, the need particularly for kids to have a family, and the absurd ways they find to cope with this ellipsis. This last aspect, and the way the sex doll is implemented is one of the best aspects of the narrative, as it emerges as both rather smart and hilarious at the same time. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
3. Yuni (Kamila Andini, Indonesia)
Gay Hian Teoh's cinematography captures the oppositional world of Yuni with a focus on realism that works very well for the narrative, while the focus on the colour purple, the night scenes in Yuni's room, and particularly the finale (which would be great if “Purple Rain” was also heard during), will definitely stay on mind for their visual prowess. Lee Chatametikool's editing induces the narrative with a very fitting, relatively fast pace, while the whole approach to the story is rather economical, with the 95 minutes serving well for Andini to present all her comments and the story, without overextending the welcome of the title in any way. “Yuni” is an excellent film that manages to be both entertaining and filled with social commentary, while also highlighting Andini's diversity. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
2. The Story of Southern Islet (Chong Keat Aun, Malaysia)
Although the movie could easily have become a horror, Chong Keat Aun's steady directorial hand does not allow the narrative to fall that way, with the supernatural elements serving another purpose, that of presenting the mixture of cultures, mentalities and ways of thinking that dominate the area. In that regard, and in combination with the realism permeating the market scenes and the overall everyday life, the movie essentially functions as a tour guide to all the antithetical aspects that comprise life in Malaysia, including the co-existence of the natural and the supernatural. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
1. Whether the Weather is Fine (Carlo Francisco Manatad, Philippines)
Natural disasters are often the basis for “misery porn” movies. Manatad, however, manages to shoot a film that is anything but, implementing dark humor, magical realism and social drama in a narrative that functions as a tour guide to both the aftermath of the disaster and the current Filippino society. His approach is intensely episodic, but at the same time, the narrative comes together as a whole rather nicely, a trait that should be attributed to both his direction and Benjo Ferrer III's excellent editing. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
