SIAM SQUARE’S NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
Life talks with Pairat Kumwan about his debut feature
S iam Square needs no introduction. With a history dating back to the 1970s, the shopping district remains the prime meeting spot for today’s Bangkok youth, with plenty of shops, restaurants and a building literally made of tutoring schools. It’s not the kind of place you’d expect to associate with a horror film, which is exactly what makes
Siam Square, the directorial-debut of Pairat Kumwan, so interesting.
When the lights inexplicably go out all over Siam Square, an old legend resurfaces. Ten students from the same tutoring class suddenly begin noticing unnatural events, as they are drawn into the unfolding curse of the shopping district. Contending with entrance exams, parents, relationships and now the spirit of a mysterious girl, the students must make a choice that will change their futures forever.
Siam Square is the directorial debut of Pairat. First making his mark on the film industry with his 2008 short Relativity, Pairat has gone on to be a part of various famous indie productions, most notable of which is his capacity as director of photography for the 2014 films 36 and Mary Is Happy Mary Is Happy.
Life speaks to the new director about his feature film, as well as his experiences in the indie-film scene and his view on the film industry as a whole.
Why did you choose to set your movie in Siam Square, of all places? For me, Siam Square is a ‘living’ place, with people walking everywhere and things going on all the time, but only during the day. Once the stores start to close up, later in the evening, the place becomes pretty much deserted, with long, dark, claustrophobic paths and shadowy streets. The fact that it’s so lively during the day is why it becomes so unsettling during the night.
How did you come to work on this project? I was contacted by Sahamongkol Film. They send out a pre-written script to different directors, who would decide if they wanted to take the project. The film’s premise and most of the script isn’t exactly my idea, though I did add my own perceptions and experiences of Siam Square to the script to give it a more relatable or nostalgic feel.
All the characters in the film are 12th-graders studying for university. Is there a significance to their age? One of the main themes we wanted to convey in the movie is that of change or transition, which made 12th graders on the cusp of becoming college students the perfect vessels for this message. It’s also about the various aspects of teenage life, from relationships with friends or boy/girl friends to exams and teachers, with a good measure of ghosts thrown into the mix. That makes for a rather interesting project.
Do you think the Thai film industry is a welcoming place for relative newcomers like yourself? I can’t really say if the industry itself is welcoming, though these days, anyone can carve their own place online. If you have a camera of your own, you can just shoot and cut together a film and upload it to YouTube. The digital space has empowered the new generation of filmmakers to take ownership of their work, able to distribute their works to thousands of viewers simultaneously, while being properly acknowledged and rewarded for their work. So whether or not the film industry has a place for newcomers these days, the digital space definitely does, which means its never been easier — and tougher — to make your mark. A short film you uploaded to YouTube might earn you a feature-length directing contract if enough people like it.