Wandering (2016)

Nob leads a happy life in a small town with his wife and young son. But when his son dies and his wife leaves him, he is unable to cope. Even others in the village turn their backs on him. He becomes lonely and feels completely dejected. He plunges deeper and deeper into a downward spiral from which it seems he may not escape. That is a glimmer of hope appears in the form of a monk who encourages him to join the Buddhist priesthood. Boonsong Nakphoo, who grew up dire poverty in a Buddhist temple, depicts many of truths contained within Buddhism and in life. Thailand’s dense forests and jungles have often been used in films to convey a sense of mystery, and Nakphoo expertly uses them to deliver lessons on enlightenment through meditation and asceticism. Reminiscent of the scent of a windy forest after a rainfall, Wandering captures in its final shot the mercy of Buddha, which today appears to be receding from the ordinary.