Sompot Chidgasornpongse

Still from Railway Sleepers (2017). [source] 

b. 1980, Sompot Chidgasornpongse is a Thai director, film editor and assistant director. After receiving a bachelor's degree in architecture from Chulalongkorn university, he graduated with an MFA from California Institute of the Arts. 
This interview traces his film career from its very beginnings. Sompot speaks about his childhood, university studies, the making of his first films and his most recent work on Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Memoria (2021).  

Contents

  1. Introduction and Growing up in Samut Prakan. 
  2. Bangkok Childhood Adventures. 
  3. Disney and Animation Films. 
  4. Studying Architecture and Discovering Film Classics. 
  5. Writing a Play. 
  6. Becoming an Intern and Meeting Apichatpong Weerasethakul. 
  7. On the Set of Tropical Malady (2004) and The Adventures of Iron Pussy (2003). 
  8. Making of the First Film.
  9. To Infinity and Beyond (2004) and Dusk, Dawn (2005)
  10. Bangkok in the Evening (2005) 
  11. On CalArts and James Benning. 
  12. Railway Sleepers (2017)
  13. The Politics of Railway Sleepers (2017)
  14. On the Set of Railway Sleepers (2017)
  15. Family History and 9 Temples to Heaven (2020)
  16. Memoria (2021) and Capturing New Places.
  17. Sound in Memoria (2021)
  18. Animistic Apparatus and Networking.
  19. On Being a Southeast Asian Filmmaker. 
  20. Advice for Future Filmmakers. 
01 1. Introduction and Growing up in Samut Prakan.m4a
Sompot introduces himself and speaks about growing up in a small town. He talks about the history of Samut Prakan and the importance of its geographical location during the colonial period and in the present day. 

02 2. Bangkok Childhood Adventures.m4a

2. Bangkok Childhood Adventures. 

Sompot describes trips to Bangkok with his parents passionate about cinema. He talks about browsing through bookstores and going to see black and white films in cinemas and, eventually, at film festivals. Not having many opportunities to learn English in his hometown, Sompot recalls how he started to understand English through seeing films in the original soundtrack.
 
03 3. Disney and Animation Films.m4a

3. Disney and Animation Films. 

Sompot recalls growing up with Disney films such as Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Aladdin (1992). He speaks about his love for animation and drawing that led to his dream of becoming an animator. 
04 4. Studying Architecture and Discovering Film Classics.m4a

4. Studying Architecture and Discovering Film Classics. 

Not having the option to study animation, Sompot speaks about his decision to study architecture. Besides developing an interest in graphic design, he shares how VHS tapes and DVDs helped him discover the art of film and directors such as Tsai Ming-liang, Federico Fellini, or Jean-Luc Godard. 
05 5. Writing a Play.m4a

5. Writing a Play. 

During his studies of architecture, Sompot started to co-write a play that can be seen as his first venture into storytelling. Sompot describes the plot of the play and its characters. He speaks about the process of writing and being inspired by American Beauty (1999). 
Still from Tropical Malady (2004) [source] 
06 6. Becoming an Intern and Meeting Apichatpong Weerasethakul.m4a

6. Becoming an Intern and Meeting Apichatpong Weerasethakul. 

After graduating from architecture, Sompot decided to pursue film. Looking for a film internship, he started to engage with contemporary Thai films such as Fan chan/My Girl (2004). He also enrolled in a film class organised by a Thai Film Foundation, which introduced him to Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Dokfa nai meuman/Mysterious Object at Noon (2000). Having already seen Apichatpong's Sud sanaeha/Blissfully Yours (2002), Sompot shares how mesmerised he was by Apichatpong's films and how he became an intern in Hua jai tor ra nong/The Adventures of  Iron Pussy (2003). Sompot talks about his first experience with storyboards, working with the sound and location team and what he learned during his internship.   
07 7. On the Set of Tropical Malady (2004) and The Adventures o.m4a

7. On the Set of Tropical Malady (2004) and The Adventures of Iron Pussy (2003). 

Sompot recalls the financial hardship the crew of Tropical Malady experienced and the personal difficulties Apichatpong went through. Despite these setbacks, while working as an intern on the set of The Adventures of Iron Pussy, Sompot describes how his knowledge of the English language and other gained skills helped him to achieve the position of the 2nd Assistant Director. 
08 8. Making of the First Film.m4a

8. Making of the First Film.

During his film internship, Sompot began with the production of his own films. The first film Sompot made was a mockumentary that critically reacts to the contemporary production of Thai short films. Sompot describes the film's sound design, its structural form and the film's critical reception. 

Still from To Infinity and Beyond (2004). [source] 

09 9. To Infinity and Beyond (2005) and Dusk, Dawn (2005).m4a

9. To Infinity and Beyond (2004) and Dusk, Dawn (2005)


The idea for Sompot's next structural film titled To Infinity and Beyond, as he recalls, stems from a competition theme set up by the Thai Short Film Festival. The original footage used in the film was shot by Sompot's friend who filmed a traditional Thai ceremony and the life of monks. Sompot describes how he then made this footage into his two short films To Infinity and Beyond and Dusk, Dawn. 
Both films have caught the attention of a significant underground filmmaker, Thunkska Pansittivorakul, who formed a 'Thai Indie'  film group. His intention was to boost the distribution of Thai films and to provide more opportunities for Thai filmmakers to have their films screened at film festivals abroad. Sompot speaks about the significance of the 'Thai Indie' group and Thunkska who submitted Sompot's films to the International Film Festival Rotterdam. 
10 10. Bangkok in the Evening (2005).m4a

10. Bangkok in the Evening (2005) 

After To Infinity and Beyond and Dusk, Dawn, Sompot continued making short films. One of those is Bangkok in the Evening, which, as Sompot explains, may also be framed as an art installation piece. Sompot describes how he played with the structure of the film. He speaks about the challenges he encountered during the shooting process and how he sought to portray both the sense of the city and the experience of the people. The film captures not only various spaces of Bangkok but also people standing still as they listen to the Thai National Anthem.  

Still from Bangkok in the Evening (2005). [source] 
11 11. On CalArts and James Benning.m4a

11. On CalArts and James Benning

One of the first teachers Sompot met at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) was James Benning. Sompot speaks of the great kinship he developed with Benning who, in turn, greatly appreciated his films and style of filmmaking that he found similar to his own. Studying at CalArts, as Sompot describes, was an 'eye-opening' experience. He got to explore experimental filmmaking, he met students from various backgrounds and enrolled in compelling courses. The course that stuck with him the most was James Benning's class titled 'Listening and Seeing', during which the students travelled to a range of landscapes and locations. Sompot recalls how Benning's class taught him to activate his senses to fully experience his surroundings. 
12 12. Railway Sleepers (2017).m4a

12. Railway Sleepers (2017)

Sompot shares how influential Benning's class was for his graduation film Railway Sleepers. Having learned the art of observation, Sompot describes how empowered he felt to make films that foreground the simple practice of paying attention. Sompot recalls coming up with the idea for Railway Sleepers whilst on train travelling to Los Angeles. Observing a small boy travelling with his father brought back Sompot's own childhood memories of travelling with his parents in Thailand and inspired the theme of Railway Sleepers. 
Initially meant to be shot on film, Sompot describes issues with the analogue way of filming and speaks about his decision to use video and other changes he made to the film's theme. Having filmed over 140 hours of footage, the editing process required meticulous storyboarding which, as Sompot recalls, helped crystallise the final structure of the film that seeks to convey the sense of time passing. 
Still from Railway Sleepers (2017). [source] 
13 13. The Politics of Railway Sleepers (2017).m4a

13. The Politics of Railway Sleepers (2017)

Although Sompot did not plan for Railway Sleepers to have socio-political underpinnings, the more he learned about the history of Thai railways, the more he felt impelled to portray the issues of class and the historical background.  
Sompot shares the research he undertook and the process of working with the genre of documentary. Railway Sleepers, as Sompot describes, explores the politics of documentary filmmaking. Sompot speaks about the attention he paid to who gets to tell the stories and the history and how he sought to make his audiences interrogate the documentary genre.   
14 14. On the Set of Railway Sleepers (2017).m4a

14. On the Set of Railway Sleepers (2017)

During the making of Railway Sleepers, Sompot immersed himself into his home country. He describes the experience of being in the train and how it allowed him to learn more about Thailand. Sompot shares the various stories he heard during interviewing the people he met on the train and how it made him more aware of the social issues he would not otherwise notice.  
15 15. Family History and 9 Temples to Heaven (2020).m4a

15. Family History and 9 Temples to Heaven (2020)

Sompot speaks about working with Apichatpong Weerasethakul who, together with Kissada Kamyoung, produced 9 Temples to Heaven. The film tells a story inspired by Sompot's family history. Sompot describes the struggles with combining fiction and documentary and the difficulties with basing the film's characters on his family members. He also stresses how making of the film encouraged him to explore his hometown, both its history and modernity. 

Still from Memoria (2021) . [source] 

16 16. Memoria (2020) and Capturing New Places.m4a

16. Memoria (2021) and Capturing New Places. 

Sompot shares his experience of shooting Memoria, travelling to Colombia, having a new film crew, and working with Tilda Swinton. In contrast to Sompot's work on 9 Temples to Heaven, with Memoria, he encountered places of different cultural, historical, and political background. Sompot speaks about Apichatpong's collaboration with Tilda Swinton and his approach to capturing this new environment. He describes Apichatpong's meticulous research and the role of memory in constructing a sense of place. 
17 17. Sound in Memoria (2020).m4a

17. Sound in Memoria (2021)

Sompot briefly touches on the significance of sound and listening to the narrative of Memoria. He describes how Apichatpong's own health condition informed the creation of Jessica's character (Tilda Swinton). 
Still from Memoria (2021) [source] 
18 18. Animistic Apparatus and Networking in Southeast Asia.m4a

18. Animistic Apparatus and Networking.

Having participated in the curatorial project Animistic Apparatus led by May Adadol Ingawanij, Sompot describes the process of preparing an exhibition with other Southeast Asian artists and filmmakers. He speaks about the opportunities to meet other filmmakers at festivals or screenings of his films; however, he also points out the lack of access to films made across the Southeast Asian region. 
19 19. On Being a Southeast Asian Filmmaker.m4a

19. On Being a Southeast Asian Filmmaker. 

The question whether Sompot identifies as a Thai filmmaker or as a Southeast Asian filmmaker prompts him to discuss the affinities he sees between his filmmaking and the practice of other artists working in the Southeast Asian region. Sompot speaks about the setbacks Southeast Asian filmmakers face during film production and discusses what helps the Thai film industry develop. 

20 20. Advice for Future Filmmakers in Southeast Asia.m4a

20. Advice for Future Filmmakers. 

Sompot shares some of his advice for filmmakers working with limited budget and he speaks about what Thom Andersen taught him at CalArts.