Mundane History (Jao nok krajok)

Year: 2009
Country: THAILAND
Run Time: 82 minutes

Is it possible to live in an eternal present, without a past or future? This is one of the questions posed by MUNDANE HISTORY. A deceptively simple narrative that tells the story of a paralyzed invalid and his nurse, the film ultimately becomes a meditation on our insignificant, yet sublime, place in the universe. Through the filmmaker's lens we learn about Ake, a bitter paraplegic who lost the use of his legs after an accident. Pun is his newly appointed male nurse, a recognizably human character who seems to be content with life. Ake's depression is aggravated by his elusive, authoritarian father whose cold demeanor is in part responsible for Ake's inability to connect with other people. But as Ake and Pun initiate discussions of their perspectives on life, Ake begins to open up and soften his outlook on his own existence. Eventually, Ake's cynicism fades and his relationship with Pun intensifies. A simple, yet abstract psychological drama, MUNDANE HISTORY will carry you on its gradual existential journey to a conclusion that will leave you shaken and deeply affected. (In Thai with subtitles) – M.M.

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