Thailand Chooses ‘9 Temples to Heaven’ for Oscar Contention

In a significant move for Thai cinema, the National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations has selected Sompot Chidgasornpongse’s film, 9 Temples to Heaven, as its official submission for the Best International Feature category at the upcoming 99th Academy Awards.

Chosen from a competitive pool of 51 entries, the film stood out after rigorous deliberations for its unique storytelling and critical acclaim, particularly following its debut at the Cannes Film Festival. The film, a comedic family road movie, tells the story of Sakol, a businessman who takes his family on a pilgrimage to nine Buddhist temples, hoping to avert a foreboding fortune about his mother’s health.

This marks Chidgasornpongse's first narrative feature, with prior experience as an assistant director under the renowned Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Following its Cannes premiere, 9 Temples to Heaven has garnered multiple accolades on the festival circuit and is set for a theatrical release in Thailand on September 17.

Source: www.hollywoodreporter.com