Acclaimed Thai film director revels in historical parallels

BANGKOK — Best known for his contemplative films set in northeast Thailand, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Thailand’s most acclaimed director, has plunged into the jungles of Latin America with his latest cinematic expedition. But he is still dealing with episodes of painful historical memories as shown in his earlier films.

“The new film was inspired by the ‘bang’ that happened in my head,” Apichatpong said of “Memoria” during his current sojourn in France. “Making this film is like a journey around its echo. This movie is about looking, listening, like a meditation.”

To serious cinemagoers worldwide, Apichatpong’s latest work is one of the most anticipated films of 2021. An international coproduction financed by a dozen international producers and grant bodies, “Memoria” stars Tilda Swinton as Jessica, an expat owner of an orchid farm in Bogota who awakes one morning startled by a…