I-San Special

Infobox Film
name = I-San Special


caption = The movie poster.
director = Mingmongkol Sonakul
producer = Pongthorn Bejrajati Mingmongkol Sonakul
writer = Mingmongkol Sonakul Apichatpong Weerasethakul (idea)
narrator =
starring = Phurida Vichitphan Mesini Kaewratri
music =
cinematography = Pongthorn Bejrajati
editing = Cattleya Anghasingha
distributor =
released = flagicon|Thailand 2002 (limited)
runtime = 112 min.
country = Thailand
language = Thai
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website = http://www.dedicate-ltd.com/image/isan.html
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0333640

"I-San Special" ( _th. คืนพระจันทร์เต็มดวง , or "Kuen pra chan tem doueng", literally "Night of the Full Moon") is a 2002 Thai experimental independent drama film directed by Mingmongkol Sonakul and based on an idea by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Set aboard a ramshackle inter-city bus traveling from Bangkok to Isan, the audio of a Thai radio soap opera is acted out by the passengers. However, when the bus stops, the drama of the passengers' normal lives is portrayed. Parallels are seen between the soap opera and reality in terms of the characters' social class.

Cast

* Mesini Kaewratri as Phenprapah
* Mark Salmon as Danny
* Phurida Vichitphan as Mathavee
* Suman Thepsatit as Kittichai
* Jennafee as Mali
* Wiwat Pakklong as Noi
* Songsak Sankam as Man
* Uraiwan Phochaitho as Kan
* Patchara Leaosrisuk as Pale woman
* Thaveesak Kenkam as Bus driver
* Satit Kosalak as Drunk man

Reception

Festivals and awards

"I-San Special" premiered at the Singapore International Film Festival, where it was nominated for a Silver Screen award and won a special mention FIPRESCI Prize, "For its uncompromising stance and unconventional portrayal of modern Thailand, and the conflations and deconstruction of multiple realities and genres such as the soap opera, the road movie and Thai pop culture." The film was also screened at the Vancouver International Film Festival and the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. It received a limited release in Thailand in 2002, but was screened at the 2003 Bangkok International Film Festival.

External links

* [http://www.dedicate-ltd.com/image/isan.html Official site]
*imdb title|id=0333640|title=Kuen pra chan tem doueng