Admirers of Apichatpong Weerasethakul should keep an eye out for the Thai film 9 Temples to Heaven by Sompot Chidgasornpongse, who worked as assistant director on many of his films. It is a gorgeous piece of slow cinema that takes a contemplative look at family, Buddhism, and mortality. The director openly embraces the influence of his mentor and displays a similar sensibility in telling the story inspired by the trips he used to take to temples with his own family.
After a prophecy predicts that his aging mother will die soon, Sokol heeds his boss’ advice and takes her and the whole family to nine temples on a daylong trip of merit-making. There are many small, beautiful moments to savor here, such as a child sitting on the sidewalk quietly offering floral garlands or the camera slowly caressing a tree from the bottom upward. French DP Jonathan Ricquebourg (The Taste of Things, Earwig) does some exquisite work. I came away feeling as though I’d visited the temples myself and gained a better understanding of Thai people and their customs. Weerasethakul is one of the producers of the film.
