Cemetery of Splendor (2015)

A group of soldiers in a small town on the Mekong River in northern Thailand are struck with a bizarre sleeping illness.

Director:

Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Writer:

Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Stars:

Jenjira Pongpas, Banlop Lomnoi, Jarinpattra Rueangram

7 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jenjira Pongpas	...	Jenjira (as Jenjira Pongpas Widner)
Banlop Lomnoi	...	Itt
Jarinpattra Rueangram	...	Keng
Petcharat Chaiburi	...	Nurse Tet
Tawatchai Buawat	...	The Mediator
Sujittraporn Wongsrikeaw	...	Goddess 1
Bhattaratorn Senkraigul	...	Goddess 2
Sakda Kaewbuadee	...	Teng
Pongsadhorn Lertsukon	...	Library's Director
Sasipim Piwansenee	...	Cream Hostess
Apinya Unphanlam	...	Singing Woman
Richard Abramson	...	Richard Widner
Kammanit Sansuklerd	...	Parasite Doctor
Boonyarak Bodlakorn	...	Dr. Prasan
Wacharee Nagvichien	...	Soldier's Wife

Storyline

Soldiers with a mysterious sleeping sickness are transferred to a temporary clinic in a former school. The memory-filled space becomes a revelatory world for housewife and volunteer Jenjira, as she watches over Itt, a handsome soldier with no family visitors. Jen befriends young medium Keng who uses her psychic powers to help loved ones communicate with the comatose men. Doctors explore ways, including colored light therapy, to ease the mens' troubled dreams. Jen discovers Itt's cryptic notebook of strange writings and blueprint sketches. There may be a connection between the soldiers' enigmatic syndrome and the mythic ancient site that lies beneath the clinic. Magic, healing, romance and dreams are all part of Jen's tender path to a deeper awareness of herself and the world around her.

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Plot Keywords:

soldier | sleeping | thailand | notebook | medium | 

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Thailand UK Germany France Malaysia South Korea Mexico USA Norway

Language:

Thai English

Release Date:

2 September 2015 (France)

Also Known As:

Cemetery of Splendor

Filming Locations:

Khon Khaen, Thailand

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,780, 6 March 2016, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$51,765, 5 June 2016

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kick the Machine, Anna Sanders Films, Match Factory Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Surround 7.1

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In Spain was released in 9 theaters only in subtitled version.

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Goofs

When Itt and Jenjira are eating dinner in the city, several bystanders are seen looking and pointing at the crew.

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Quotes

Jenjira: I've touched way too many penises in my life

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Connections

Features Mae Bia (2015)

User Reviews

Kaleidoscope of Thai Culture

A young woman sings to her lover in public, ancient kings use the energy of sleeping soldiers to fight battles and figurine princesses come to life and discuss things like skin-tone and how much they appreciate offerings. Such characters and scenes are not brought about through computer animation, elaborate costumes or thrilling action sequences, but mundane and leisurely compositions.

The film follows Jen and Keng, local women who voluntarily visit and help care for soldiers in a remote and tiny hospital. The soldiers seem to be under the sway of a spell or perhaps dreams and thoughts of their own making. Keng is a psychic and has the ability to communicate to the soldiers in their sleep. The whole film is something of a meandering daydream or series of magic spells, which is both good and bad. It is cerebral, loosely organized and full of depth. It is a kaleidoscope of Thai culture, lawn ornaments, colored lights, dreams and figures from the past, present and future, among other things. According to the TIFF catalog the film blends "neuroscience, Khmer animism, meditations on war and death, and the quotidian details of everyday life in a small village." They mention this, of course, just in case you caught too much Khmer animism and neuroscience in previous films. Seen at the Toronto International Film Festival 2015.