Close Encounter of the Ghost

During the last festival, we showed the beautiful haunted-house film The Unseeable by Wisit Sasanatieng, a film that in many ways inspired the creation of this programme. Sasanatieng was also the obvious film maker to select for a room in the Haunted House. Just as The Unseeable in its mood and décor refers to older narratives and classic horror films, so too is his design for the exhibition closely linked to the techniques of classic cinema.
It is built and furnished as a film set for a scene in a horror film and in fact is also used as a set, including extras who play the ghost. As a director should, Sasanatieng rehearses with the volunteer ghosts and prepares them for their role.
He imagines it is night and has the visitor take a look in an old traditional Thai house. If the visitor has the experience of seeing a real ghost with his own eyes, it’ll take his breath away.
Sasanatieng co-operated closely on his concept with the art director and set designer Saksiri Chantarangsri, who has a command of the old box of tricks used throughout the history of cinema. Thanks to this craftsman-like approach, this room in the house probably comes closest to the idea of ghosts that has been ingrained into our subconsciousness by film history. (GjZ)

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