History is a new chapter of human life. It is what shapes the course of life and the way we see the world, and war is one of the factors that shape it. All the Things You Left Behind (Chanasorn Chakitiporn, 2022) lets its audience know what went unheard in the Vietnam War when Thai soil–never colonized by Europe–became an American playground. It invites us to take a closer look at the human heads in the chaos.
The narrator contextually takes us through the origins of Thailand’s cooperation with America, as Thailand becomes the cold, invisible enemy of its neighbor. Archival documents of the United States that have been declassified take over the screen. Maps of bases, lines of soldiers, and airports: metaphorically whispering about whose side Thailand is on. The sounds of machines and mechanics also distort before an entity finally takes over the storyline. Bringing us to what is missing in the history of the war between Vietnam and America: Thailand’s bipartisanship and civilian casualties.
Although Thailand did not play a direct role and only became a temporary American base, the war already gave birth to a new perspective, the birth of propaganda penetration. Chakitiporn wraps All the Things You Left Behind (2022) in a surrealistic and disturbing manner. The choice of presentation and storytelling is well crafted, in line with the film’s spirit: strange and straightforward.
Catch the Thailand side of the coin in All the Things You Left Behind (2022). The film is selected in Spektrum Festival Film Dokumenter 2023. (Athallah, Tuffahati) (Vanis)
Film Details
All the Things You Leave Behind
Chanasorn Chaikitiporn | 18 Min | 2022 | Thailand | Color & BW | 17+
Screening Schedule
12.07 | Gedung ex Bioskop Permata | 15.00 WIB
12.08 | Auditorium IFI-LIP | 13.00 WIB
