Thai outdoor film tradition flickers to life among cemetery tombs
Dozens of locals settled down among the tombs for outdoor cinema at a cemetery in Phichit province, 350 kilometres north of Bangkok, on Sunday evening.
The Chinese New Year screening was organised by the Phichit Samakkhi Foundation Cemetery and Thai-Chinese locals to make merit for the 330 souls buried in the tombs.
In Chinese belief, the gateway to hell and heaven opens during the Chinese New Year to allow the deceased to receive merit from their descendants.
The event at the Muang district cemetery also featured a Chinese "Eng-Kor" dance of performers dressed as martial artists. The performers then sat down with locals and foundation officials to watch three films – two Chinese and one Thai – projected by outdoor screening company Booncherd Film.
Anusit Limsiriwong from Phichit Samakkhi Foundation said it had been organising the cemetery screenings for the past 58 years.
Mobile outdoor screenings were once a common sight in villages across Thailand but they largely disappeared with the arrival of cinemas and cineplexes in the late 20th century.
However, the annual Phichit cemetery event is keeping the spirit alive, with families chatting and chomping on barbecue for an evening of traditional Thai-style entertainment.
Anusit said the foundation laid on the feast of barbeque pork for Booncherd Film workers, Eng-Kor performers and the local audience.
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