Following his critically acclaimed debut, “Eternity” (2010), which won the Golden Tiger award at the 40th International Film Festival Rotterdam, Sivaroj Kongsakul comes back with his long-awaited second feature, “Regretfully at Dawn”. This co-production between Thailand and Singapore was nominated for the New Directors Award at the 72nd San Sebastian International Film Festival.
Regretfully at Dawn is screening at Five Flavours
An elderly man, Yong (Surachai Juntimatorn), leads a quiet and seemingly regular life in a small province near Bangkok. He is a war veteran, of which a constant reminder is an amputated finger. Often ruminating on the days long gone, Yong spends his days building a treehouse, as well as caring for his young granddaughter Xiang (Machida Sutthikulphanich) and a dog named Rambo.
The relatively simple narrative becomes complicated over time as Kongsakul, who also wrote the script, departs from the standard form of storytelling and begins to subtly change the place and time of the action in some scenes. Through flashbacks, the audience can catch a glimpse of the protagonist’s military past that still haunts him. This approach results in a confusing yet engaging experience of analysing what just happened and trying to guess what will happen next.
Check also this video
Delivering remarkable performances, Machida Sutthikulphanich and Surachai Juntimatorn provide a sense of tranquillity through their characters, despite the fact that the film covers serious topics. They are opposites, one at the beginning of life, curious, full of energy, and the other closer to the end, already tired and melancholic but still clinging to life. Despite the differences, their interactions feel natural and the chemistry between them is what holds the whole movie together. Besides human actors, there is another one worth mentioning, a dog named O-Liang. In the spirit of animism, his role in the story is a crucial one, as he connects the past and the present.
Favouring steady camera and through presenting appealing green rural landscapes, the cinematography by Umpornpol Yugala underlines the contemplative and calm atmosphere of the narrative. This is most noticeable in a scene full of suspense when Yong confronts his son and the father of Xiang, Apai (Pramod Sangsorn). The pressure and expectation of a sudden turn of events is immense while the scene is delivered in two extended takes in which the camera does not move an inch. The unhurried and peaceful way of telling the story is skilfully combined with constant tension somewhere in the background and results in a movie that is not easy to analyse and define.
Kongsakul tenderly raises not only the issues of an individual, like memories or human relationships, but also subtly points at the bigger picture. Thailand is a country with a turbulent, not so ancient, history, which still echoes in present-time society. Some people, like Yong, can’t quite move on with their lives. Despite that, there is still hope as one can see through the character of Xiang. She is at the dawn of her life and her future, which, regretfully for her grandpa, might be brighter if she moves abroad.
