phasom.th@gmail.com

©2024 by Thaweechok Phasom

ดงรกชัฏ

Spirits of the Black Leaves

"A woman wakes up one day, feeling as though she has a hole in her chest."

Year of Production: 2023 (Thailand)

Running Time: 30:00 Minutes

Formats: 2K / Color / 5.1

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

Language: Thai with English Subtitles

Synopsis

A young woman wakes up feeling like there is a hole in her chest, as she goes about her daily routines she tries to navigate her fragmented memories. Later that day, a mysterious goat appears: reality and fiction seem to be slowly blending. In search of answers and attempting to break free from her anxiety and feelings of powerlessness, she ventures on a transformative journey into the night.

– Koen de Rooij (IFFR 2024)

Director’s Statement

One day, after bringing her child into the world, a Mlabri (a hill tribe in northern Thailand) woman must venture into the fields to gather corn, her sole source of income. Amidst corn collection, she cradles her newborn against her chest. Upon completing her daily task, her child ceases to breathe." The documentary narrative serves as my inspiration for this short film.

In the hopeless society of Thailand, the plight of minorities and rampant exploitation evoke profound sensations of anger, revenge, emptiness, and pain within me. We can only listen to these stories, lacking the means to effectively address these shameful incidents, ultimately resigning ourselves to let them fade away. I am burdened by the realization that my only role is to bear witness, a mere cogwheel perpetuating this ongoing narrative.

During my youth, my parents quarreled, prompting my mother's departure to the Tai Yai region on the Myanmar border. She eventually returned, but I questioned her return since I relished my father's gift of my favorite meat during her absence. Despite my innocence, this tale mirrors my childhood's absence of blame toward my mother, echoing the Mlabri woman's destiny. In both narratives, acknowledging shame renders me impotent to act. Similar to others, I evade guilt by listening to stories and letting them dissipate.

This short film project aims to express the "affect" of painful powerlessness and the inability to act, choosing instead to let these emotions fade away. So, I have decided to name this project "Spirits of the Black Leaves" as a tribute to my profound feelings towards the Mlabri people. The film serves as my voice, echoing my voicelessness in my unique style. I realize my perspective on these stories comes from an outsider's viewpoint, an urbanist's eye, and my own emotions, yet I may not fully grasp their true nature. In actuality, real stories may unfold differently. At the story's conclusion, I decided to depict a character breaking free from their imprisoning diegetic position. Although liberated from the narrative, this character remains intertwined with other diegetic elements. My hope is to capture a poignant "potentiality" within diverse narratives. Nonetheless, I still find myself "affected" by this story, different yet connected in some manner. Thus, the story's ending becomes just one narrative dissipating into thin air, akin to countless other stories I've encountered. This film is like the wind, both affecting and being affected, before ultimately fading away.

Screenings / Exhibitions:
Finalist "Student Competition" 27th Thai Short Film & Video Festival
"Short & Mid-length" International Film Festival Rotterdam 2024
"International Competition" 21st Brive Film Festival 2024
"SOULS AND SPIRITS" 46th Moscow International Film Festival

Articles:
ArtReview - Future Greats 2024

About

Thaweechok Phasom

Filmmaker, Artist

THAWEECHOK PHASOM is a filmmaker, photographer, and film student. Born in the northern region of Chiang Rai, he grew up in the east of Chanthaburi and later moved to study in the central region. Initially, his work was created for contest submissions. However, he eventually grew weary of the repetitiveness of film contests and yearned for the liberating realm of unfamiliar creativity. Thus, he immersed himself in experimentation, becoming consumed by the pursuit of exploring the depths within individuals and uncovering the hidden mysteries of humanity—the innate purity of one's identity. Consequently, his creations are driven by the mission to discover and affirm this purity through experimental contrasts, the intricate interplay of visual and auditory relationships, and the creation of a distant perspective that bridges the realm between actual existence and the elusive nature of potential truths.

His body of work also beckons questions about the very essence of filmmaking. Guided by a relentless passion for cinema, he weaves his ardor into his craft. His work defies conventional filmmaking paradigms, posing a challenge to established traditions and embodying a rebellion against the norms of the Thai filmmaking industry.

CURRICULUM VITAE 16-02-2024

Name: THAWEECHOK PHASOM (ทวีโชค ผสม)
E-mail: phasom.th@gmail.com
URL: https://phasomt.wixsite.com/main

Education:

Benchamarachuthit Chanthaburi School, Chanthaburi, Thailand (2013-2018)
Film, Silpakorn University, Nonthaburi, Thailand (2019 – 2022)

Selected Short Films & Video Art (director, screenwriter) :

2023 Spirits of the Black Leaves / ดงรกชัฏ, 30:00 minutes

University Short Films & Video Art (director, screenwriter, cinematographer) :

2023 Spirits of the Black Leaves / ดงรก ชัฏ, 30:00 minutes

2022 Landless, 18:40 minutes

2021 Salai01 / สลาย, 8:29 minutes

2021 In Reflection / ค่ำคืนมหัศจรรย์, 5:25 minutes

2021 Still Under Soul / ดวงวิญญาณป่วยไข้ในมนุษย์, 26:26 minutes

2021 Who's singing the song / หญิงชายในบทละคร, 7:31 minutes
2021 TGUgcXVhdG9yemUganVpbGxldA, 27:40 minutes
2020 Realm of the unconscious / ขอบเขตแห่งภวังค์, 6:50 minutes

2020 im in ur, 3:00 minutes

2020 Rak Thoe Lueakoen / รักเธอเหลือเกิน, 5:00 minutes

High School Short Films (director, screenwriter, cinematographer) :
2019 Thueng Lukchai Khon To / ถึงลูกชายคนโต, 7:45 minutes
2019 Kin Khao Kap Pla / กินข้าวกับปลา, 7:21 minutes
2018 Chanchala / ชานชาลา, 6:48 minutes
2018 Chaochai Dokmaithale / เจ้าชายดอกไม้ทะเล, 7:00 minutes
2018 Wai Raluek Thueng / ไว้รฦกถึง, 4:57 minutes
2018 The place I will back / ที่ที่ฉันอยากกลับ, 7:02 minutes
2017 sa-ta-nee-kwam-suk / แฮปปี้ สเตชั่น, 4:51 minutes
2017 The Chicken / ห่างใกล้, 5:00 minutes
2017 Reward / รางวัล, 10:01 minutes
2017 Suem Sap / ซึมทรัพย์, 6:53 minutes
2016 tang-mar-lie / ทางม้าลาย, 6:35 minutes

Selected Group Exhibitions / Festivals / Screenings:

2019 Thueng Lukchai Khon To / ถึงลูกชายคนโต, 23rd Thai Short Film & Video Festival
2019 Chanchala / ชานชาลา, 23rd Thai Short Film & Video Festival
2019 Jaochai Dokmaitha-le / เจ้าชายดอกไม้ทะเล, 23rd Thai Short Film & Video Festival (The Finalists Special White Elephant Award)
2019 The place I will back / ที่ที่ฉันอยากกลับ, 23rd Thai Short Film & Video Festival
2018 sa-ta-nee-kwam-suk / แฮปปี้ สเตชั่น, 22th Thai Short Film & Video Festival
2018 The Chicken / ห่างใกล้, 22nd Thai Short Film & Video Festival
2018 Reward / รางวัล, 22nd Thai Short Film & Video Festival
2018 Suem Sap / ซึมทรัพย์, 22nd Thai Short Film & Video Festival
2018 tang-mar-lie / ทางม้าลาย, 22nd Thai Short Film & Video Festival

Awards, Grants, and Commissions:

2020 im in ur, Honorable mention Award of 6th Short Film Competition by Mthai
2018 Chanchala / ชานชาลา, Best Directing and Popular Vote Award of Short Film Competition at OBEC Film 2018
2018 Wai Raluek Thueng / ไว้รฦกถึง, 2nd prize of Short Film Competition by Bangkok Hospital Chanthaburi
2018 The place I will back / ที่ที่ฉันอยากกลับ, 3rd prize of Short Film Competition at 67th National Student Arts And Crafts Fair
2017 sa-ta-nee-kwam-suk / แฮปปี้ สเตชั่น, 2nd of Short Film Competition at 8th TO BE NUMBER ONE Project by RMUTP
2017 The Chicken / ห่างใกล้, 2nd of Short Film Competition at 7th 46ICT Leadership Centre and Network Schools Fair
2017 Reward / รางวัล, The Finalists of Short Film Competition at Moral School Project by OBEC
2017 Suem Sap / ซึมทรัพย์, 1st of Short Film Competition at Creative Media Competition by TK Park
2016 tang-mar-lie / ทางม้าลาย, 5th prize of Short Film Competition at 66th National Student Arts And Crafts Fair

Practice Areas:
Filmmaking (directing, screenwriting, cinematography, editing), moving image, film history, film theory, photography, and music

Life experience:

Used to be a part-time salesman in a department store (ฺฺBrand: Lacoste, Nike, Adidas, Beverly Hills Polo Club, Hush Puppies Underwear, Jockey Underwear, John Henry Underwear).
Used to be the president of the school’s environmental conservation club.
Since 2016, I've created a PicMem Studio page for photography and video work.