Blue Again

My hometown is Sakon Nakhon province in northeastern Thailand. I grew up there but later moved to Bangkok to pursue my dream of becoming a filmmaker. Living between these two cities gave me a sense of alienation. I’ve felt conflicted, as if I’m an outsider everywhere I go. I returned to Sakon Nakhon for the first time in many years to film 'Blue Again,' and it was also the first time I revisited my own past and relationships with friends and family.

Sakon Nakhon is well-known for its traditional indigo dye knowledge passed down through generations. I believe that it is a fabric dyeing technique that requires a meticulous spirit, and indigo comes in a variety of shades that each person dyes. During the 2014 coup, I met a senior who was studying fashion and learning how to make the indigo fabric of Sakon Nakhon. She felt like a misfit among her friends because of her different political views. So, she always incorporated her suppressed beliefs into the design of her clothing.

The city is also home to Thailand's largest Catholic village, which hosts an annual star parade. I learned about this village from a close friend who lives there. I saw him every day; he was a Christian who borrowed Buddhist books from the library and practiced Buddhist meditation on his own. So, we used to discuss religious beliefs and practices.

‘Blue Again’ is the story of outsiders that are intertwined like a delicately woven fabric. I met them at a crossroads in my life when I was transitioning into adulthood and living between Bangkok and Sakon Nakhon. To be truthful to them, I tried to portray them as elaborately as possible in my first feature film. They’re my friends, and the film feels to me like a relationship travel journal, exploring how people react differently in different environments. At the end of the day, I may have to endure the agony of being in a relationship with someone else. But, in the future, I might find a beautiful relationship with “myself”.