Phantoms of Nabua

The Thai village of Nabua, like many others during the Cold War, was accused of harbouring communists and their sympathisers, and its residents were subjected to violent reprisals. This enigmatic short film evokes these atrocities in luminous form: soon after nightfall, a group of teenagers take to the streets and pass back and forth a blazing football, while sparks of light cross the sky like incandescent fireflies. The light symbolises the comfort of home on the one hand, and imminent danger and destruction on the other.