Trailer for The Songs of Rice (Pleng khong kao).
Rice is the lifeblood of rural Thailand: the staple of the diet, a sacrament in the local religion and the visual fabric of its lush and verdant backcountry. In this vibrant portrait of an agrarian society, a simple crop becomes a powerful force of nature, permeating every facet of country life. Award-winning director Uruphong Raksasad (Agrarian Utopia, Stories From the North) evokes the propulsive rhythms of life in the rice fields, plucking lovely grace notes from his pastoral symphony: a hula-hooping grandma shimmies at a dance party; a water buffalo races through a muddy field; an eruption of fireworks forms a celestial tribute to a kindly rice goddess. “When you eat rice, your mind can work wonders,” declares the leader of a local religious festival. After watching this uplifting, beautifully crafted film, you’ll be inclined to agree—and you’ll be ravenous for a bowl of rice.