In his latest documentary, Hours of Ours (Komtouch Napattaloong, 2023), trying to convey the meaning of “home” became Napattaloong’s mission to solve. He gave the viewers an intimate glimpse into the life of a migrating family from Sudan, North Africa, currently seeking refugee in Thailand. This documentary spins its yarn of a family living in uncertainty with the outskirts of Bangkok as the backdrop. Despite everything, their days are still filled with hope and perseverance that one day, they will eventually find a place of their own to call home.
Hours of Ours (2023) lets its viewers peek into the daily life of a family that has been stuck in a limbo since 2013, surrounded by locals and migrant workers. Their resilience and determination to give their children a normal life, adapting to Thai’s culture and language, is astonishing.
Napattaloong, who returned to Thailand after ten long years of living abroad, developed an emotional bond with the family. That bond was formed the second they decided to make a film together. He perfectly captured the raw daily reality of that family, with every minute and every frame they spent together. The camera accompanied their every intimate journey, capturing their nuanced challenges, shared dreams, and poignant moments that will define their fate.
The Sudan family is driven by their unwavering commitment to seek a better life for all of them. It came to fruition when they finally received life-changing good news: the agreement to stay in Canada. However, bad news soon followed. Thai immigration laws stipulate that the parents have to spend an entire month in the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) before their departure, as under the country’s laws, they are still recognized as illegal.
And with that, they entrusted their children in the hands of Napattaloong, hoping that he’d be able to take care of their children in a shelter. After living in an unfamiliar environment for a while, their children start to understand the gravity of the situation and the reason why their parents are hellbent on departing from Thailand.
Hours of Ours (2023) taught us the unwavering strength and burning devotion to find a place they can safely call ‘home’. This documentary underlined the struggles of refugees all over the world, boldly detailing the long hours of trying to find sanctuaries and juggling through life’s uncertainty. Hours of Ours (2023) is in competition for International Feature-Length Competition Festival Film Dokumenter 2023. (Tirza Kanya) (Vanis/Adinta)
Film Details
Hours of Ours (Ror Wan)
Komtouch Napattaloong | 85 Minutes | 2023 | Thailand | Color | 21+
Screening Schedule
12.04 | Bioskop Sonobudoyo | 19.00 WIB
12.07 | Auditorium IFI-LIP | 16.30 WIB
