Pop Aye
Pop Aye is a 2017 Singaporean-Thai drama film directed by Kirsten Tan. A debut feature by Tan, the road film tells the story of a man as he tries to take his long-lost elephant back to their rural hometown. The first Singaporean film selected to screen at the Sundance, it competed and won a Special Jury Prize in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.[2][3][4] It was selected as the Singaporean entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.[5]
Pop Aye | |
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Film poster | |
Directed by | Kirsten Tan |
Produced by | Wenhong Huang Zhang Jianbin Weijie Lai Deng Li |
Written by | Kirsten Tan |
Starring | Thaneth Warakulnukroh Bong Penpak Sirikul |
Music by | Matthew James Kelly |
Cinematography | Chananun Chotrungroj |
Edited by | Lee Chatametikool |
Release date |
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Running time | 104 minutes |
Country | Singapore Thailand |
Language | Thai |
Box office | $132,534[1] |
Tan's success at pursuing her dreams and interests in filmmaking was mentioned in Parliament in April 2017 by Ong Ye Kung, the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills), as he highlighted the need for parents in allowing their children to pursue their interests.
Plot
Thana (Thaneth Warakulnukroh), a middle-aged architect, is disillusioned at work as well as at home with his wife Bo (Penpak Sirikul). One day, as he wanders the Bangkok city, he chances upon an elephant which turns out to be his childhood companion, Pop Aye. He then decides to take the elephant back to the rural village where they both grew up and into his uncle Peak's (Narong Pongpab) care. They embark on their homecoming journey through the rural Thailand to their hometown in Loei Province, Isan together.[6][2]
Cast
- Thaneth Warakulnukroh as Thana
- Bong as Pop Aye
- Penpak Sirikul as Bo
- Chaiwat Khumdee as Dee
- Yukontorn Sukkijja as Jenni
- Narong Pongpab as Peak
Reception
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 90% based on 29 reviews, with a weighted average rating of 6.7/10.[7] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[8]
See also
- List of submissions to the 90th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Singaporean submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
References
- "Pop Aye". The Numbers. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
- Soh, Joanne (12 April 2017). "Long road to success for Pop Aye director Kirsten Tan". The New Paper. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- Erbland, Kate (30 November 2016). "Sundance 2017 Announces Competition and NEXT Lineups, Including Returning Favorites and Major Contenders". IndieWire. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
- Frater, Patrick. "Singapore's Maiden Sundance Selection 'Pop Aye' Picked Up by Cercamon". Variety. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
- Frater, Patrick (24 September 2017). "Singapore Picks 'Pop Aye' for Foreign-Language Oscar Contention". Variety. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
- Lee, Maggie (19 October 2015). "Sundance Film Review: Pop Aye". Variety. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
- "Pop Aye (2017)". Rotten Tomatoes)Fandango Media). Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- "Pop Aye Reviews". Metacritic (CBS Interactive). Retrieved 29 April 2018.