Loading ...What is perhaps most noticeable when one watches the Thai gay film “Down the River” are two things: the elegant cinematography of Thai temples and countryside and the deep resonance of Buddhist theology in the film’s screenplay. All of these sensual images fill the screen as a simple yet compelling story of two best friends unfold. Krit and Win have developed a meaningful friendship despite their differences: Krit wants his relationship with Win to evolve into something deeper than a platonic relationship, while Win appears to want a “normal life” – one which includes having his own family, with a wife and children.
So, it appears that Win still has to accept his homosexual side, something which Krit already has. While Krit frequents gay hot spots, Win shows his preference for the straight crowd. It is shown in the movie though, that both Krit and Win have their minds (and apparently, hearts) set on each other. This is apparent despite Krit’s show of homosexual promiscuity and Win’s effort to be more masculine.
The two men share a liking for hiking in the woods, and while Win just considers these walks for their face value, Krit takes them to heart and keeps a book where he presses wild flowers as keepsakes of these hikes. In one of these walks, Win and Krit hike with two women. The film then juxtaposes several scenes in a non-linear arrangement, as the motives of Krit to make this hike an event where he finally gets Win becomes known. Finally, Krit succeeds against the odds in get intimate with, despite Win’s apprehensions.
The most intimate scenes between Krit and Win happens against the backdrop of some of the most exquisite Thai scenery – Buddhist temples, fields and forests, making the scenes very tender and visual as they are highly homoerotic at the same time.
The film’s director, Anucha Boonyawatana, who also writes the screenplay, succeeds in focusing the movie on two seemingly opposing facets of Thai life – the struggle of Thai homosexuals for acceptance and highly traditional Buddhist teachings that are deeply engrained in daily Thai life. The film manages to weave these two elements together and give out the message that being gay is not actually a sin, and one can be a gay person while still respecting the Buddhist religion. The director used to work as a gay fashion magazine editor prior to making films. He has since made a number of movies, most of them with gay themes.
“Down the River” has been one of Anucha’s more successful films, making the rounds at various international film festivals before actually playing in the director’s native Thailand. The movie was received warmly during its local run, particularly by the country’s LGBT community despite lack of extensive promotion. In the film festival circuit from 2004 to 2005, the film won honors at the Thai Short Film & Video Festival, the 3rd Asiana International Short Film Festival in Korea and the 4th Q Film Festival in Indonesia, among others.
