Words of inspiration

The short-film project “Keeta Raja Niphon”, which transforms His Majesty the King’s famous songs into pictures, returns to cinemas tomorrow with a five-day run at 80 Major Cineplex theatres nationwide. Some 300,000 free tickets will be handed out to moviegoers and, just as they did in May, are likely to run out fast.

The project was introduced in May to mark the 50th anniversary of His Majesty the King being honoured for his compositions with honorary membership of the esteemed Institute of Music and Arts of the City of Vienna, Austria. Singha Corporation invited four filmmakers to select songs written by His Majesty as the basis for their short films.

The resulting omnibus recently won the Audience Award for Narrative Feature from the Hawaii International Film Festival.

The 130-minute anthology is made up of “The Singers” by veteran director Nonzee Nimibutr, “Om Yim” by TV commercial director Wallop Prasopphol, “It Rains at Huay Kha Khaeng,” by “Shutter” and “Alone” director Parkpoom Wongphoom, and “Dao” by Yongyooth Thongkongtoon, which is based on the patriotic song “Kwam Fun Un Sung Sud” (“The Impossible Dream”).

Nonzee’s chose the song “Chata Cheewit” (“HM Blues”) for his tale of a friendship that springs up between two elderly women. Pao (Wassana Chalakorn) is fed up with her adult children fighting over their inheritance and decides to leave home. Her path crosses that of Ngern (Neeranuch Patamasut), a poverty-stricken woman who is taking care of her young niece. Ngern is a talented singer though she only sings when she’s alone. When her niece falls sick with kidney disease, Pao convinces Ngern to sing in public again to raise money for the treatment.

Wallop uses “Yim Soo” to tell the story of a high-school student who is tormented by his classmates because of a condition that prevents him from showing emotional expression on his face. Life changes for the lonely teen when he meets a young girl and out of love for her decides to do something seemingly impossible for someone with his problem – act in a stage play.

Parkpoom chose the song “Sai Fon” (“Falling Rain”) to depict the last years in the life of conservationist Seub Nakhasathien. Seub, an official with the Wildlife Conservation Division of the Royal Forest Department, killed himself to bring attention to the constant destruction of nature and this brief biopic is more serious than the three others. Nopachai “Peter” Jayanama plays Seub and the film includes the activist’s most memorable action when he jumped into Chiew-larn Dam in Surat Thani province during the wildlife evacuation in a desperate effort to save hundreds of deer and other wild animals from certain death.

The anthology closes with Yongyooth’s “Dao” for which he has turned the renowned patriotic song “Kwam Fun Un Sung Sud” (“The Impossible Dream”) into the story of a young boy Ko who tries to make his dad proud by being chosen to raise the national standard just once before finishing primary school. Usually a teacher will choose an outstanding student with exemplary behaviour to raise the flag and so young Ko does everything he can to convince his teacher to pick him for the duty.

Each of the four songs is featured in a new arrangement and is covered by popular bands and singers in an attempt to attract young people to the cinema.

Nonzee offers two versions of “HM Blues”, one sung by actress Neeranuch and the other by Thanida “Da Endorphine” Thamawimol. Prakarn Raiwa of Getsunova sings “Yim Soo”, Anchalee Chongkadekij covers “Sai Fon” and Saharat “Kong” Sangkhapreecha is the man behind “Khwam Fan Un Sung Sud”.