The 1st Lung Film Festival (ลุงฟิล์มเฟสติวัลครั้งที่ 1), organised by Phatthalung Micro Cinema, runs from 4th to 26th July, with screenings at the Us coffee shop in Phatthalung. The full schedule has not yet been announced — the LFF will feature a retrospective by Nontawat Numbenchapol — though the highlights so far include Vichart Somkaew’s short film Antipsychotics, his documentary When My Father Was a Communist (เมื่อพ่อผมเป็นคอมมิวนิสต์), and Wattanapume Laisuwanchai’s video installation The Body Craves Impact as Love Bursts (ร่างกายอยากปะทะ เพราะรักมันปะทุ).
When My Father Was a Communist is screening on 5th July. Antipsychotics and The Body Craves Impact as Love Bursts both feature in the Social Evolution (วิวัฒนาการสังคมไทย) programme on 18th July.
There will also be screenings of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 (which opens the festival on 4th July) and The Shining (on 25th July), presented by Doc Club and Pub. Both films were shown at Cloud 11 in March, and have been screened in Thailand several times before.
Previous screenings of The Shining in Thailand: Previous Thai screenings of 2001:
When My Father Was a Communist is screening on 5th July. Antipsychotics and The Body Craves Impact as Love Bursts both feature in the Social Evolution (วิวัฒนาการสังคมไทย) programme on 18th July.
There will also be screenings of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001 (which opens the festival on 4th July) and The Shining (on 25th July), presented by Doc Club and Pub. Both films were shown at Cloud 11 in March, and have been screened in Thailand several times before.
Previous screenings of The Shining in Thailand: Previous Thai screenings of 2001:
Antipsychotics
At the start of Antipsychotics, Vichart reveals that he suffers from depression. In a voiceover, he describes his symptoms, which include hallucinations and feelings of paranoia. On screen, we see profiles of various antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs, and their possible side effects, accompanied by stock footage.
The director also recounts the traumatic experience that he feels led to his condition: the humiliating hazing rituals and violent punishments he endured during his conscription. “I drew a red card and was drafted into the military service”, he says, before describing the physical and mental harm he was subjected to.
There have been occasional news reports of cadets being injured — and worse — during military training sessions, though there is less coverage of the potential psychological toll that Vichart describes. At the end of his powerful and ultimately optimistic film, he argues that conscription should be replaced by voluntary service.
Antipsychotics will also be shown tomorrow at the Thailand International LGBTQ+ Film and TV Festival 2026. It has previously been screened at the Chard Festival (ฉาด เฟสติวัล), at Open Screen, and in last year’s Short Film Marathon (หนังสั้นมาราธอน).
The director also recounts the traumatic experience that he feels led to his condition: the humiliating hazing rituals and violent punishments he endured during his conscription. “I drew a red card and was drafted into the military service”, he says, before describing the physical and mental harm he was subjected to.
There have been occasional news reports of cadets being injured — and worse — during military training sessions, though there is less coverage of the potential psychological toll that Vichart describes. At the end of his powerful and ultimately optimistic film, he argues that conscription should be replaced by voluntary service.
Antipsychotics will also be shown tomorrow at the Thailand International LGBTQ+ Film and TV Festival 2026. It has previously been screened at the Chard Festival (ฉาด เฟสติวัล), at Open Screen, and in last year’s Short Film Marathon (หนังสั้นมาราธอน).
When My Father Was a Communist
For When My Father Was a Communist, Vichart interviewed his father, Sawang, and other former members of the Communist Party of Thailand. The film is a valuable social history, as the veterans explain their decisions to join the CPT, and describe their experiences in the forests of Phatthalung.
When My Father Was a Communist is also a record of the state’s violent suppression of communist insurgents, hundreds (potentially thousands) of whom were burned in oil drums in 1972. These so-called ‘red barrel’ deaths were most prevalent in Phatthalung, and have never been officially investigated. (The names of the victims are listed before the film’s end credits.) There have been other documentaries about the red barrels, but When My Father Was a Communist stands out for Vichart’s close connections to the subject: this is a deeply personal project, as he was born in Phatthalung, and he is documenting the memories of his elderly father.
The film has been screened around the country, including in Trang earlier this year, at last year’s Short Film and Video Festival (เทศกาลภาพยนตร์สั้น ครั้งที่), and at Hope Space in Bangkok.
When My Father Was a Communist is also a record of the state’s violent suppression of communist insurgents, hundreds (potentially thousands) of whom were burned in oil drums in 1972. These so-called ‘red barrel’ deaths were most prevalent in Phatthalung, and have never been officially investigated. (The names of the victims are listed before the film’s end credits.) There have been other documentaries about the red barrels, but When My Father Was a Communist stands out for Vichart’s close connections to the subject: this is a deeply personal project, as he was born in Phatthalung, and he is documenting the memories of his elderly father.
The film has been screened around the country, including in Trang earlier this year, at last year’s Short Film and Video Festival (เทศกาลภาพยนตร์สั้น ครั้งที่), and at Hope Space in Bangkok.
The Body Craves Impact as Love Bursts
The Body Craves Impact as Love Bursts features images of a man and woman tantalisingly close and facing each other, yet separated. As the director explained in his artist’s statement, the installation was made in solidarity with the rapper Elevenfinger, who served a prison sentence for possession of ping-pong bombs used in anti-government protests: “I have visited him and witnessed the despair not only affecting him and his partner but also their families and relatives. This situation mirrors the plight of other political prisoners”.
The video ends dramatically with flashing images and footage of fireworks, filmed at Thalugaz protests in 2021. It was first shown as an installation at the Procession of Dystopia exhibition. It has also been screened at The 7th Bangkok Experimental Film Festival (เทศกาลหนังทดลองกรุงเทพฯ ครั้งที่ 7), Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, Cinemine/d, and Phimailongweek (พิมายฬองวีค).
The video ends dramatically with flashing images and footage of fireworks, filmed at Thalugaz protests in 2021. It was first shown as an installation at the Procession of Dystopia exhibition. It has also been screened at The 7th Bangkok Experimental Film Festival (เทศกาลหนังทดลองกรุงเทพฯ ครั้งที่ 7), Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, Cinemine/d, and Phimailongweek (พิมายฬองวีค).
