Pop Aye

[Machine Translation] An elephant and a middle-aged man travel 500 kilometers across Thailand! A mysterious road movie is about to begin! The lead role is played by Thanee Thanee Thanee Warakhun Nukro. Bong gives a wonderful performance as Popeye, the cute and powerful elephant in the lead role. The film is directed by Carsten Tan, a female director from Singapore whose short films have attracted attention at international film festivals around the world and have been featured on CNN's "Who's Who" list. Her short film won the Best Screenplay Award at Sundance and has been highly acclaimed at international film festivals such as Rotterdam and Zurich. Screened in the CROSSCUT ASIA section at the 30th Tokyo International Film Festival. --Tanner, once a famous architect, is now in his middle age, has no place at his company, his wife is not interested in him, and he is tired of his life. One day, he happens to find his childhood elephant, Popeye, on a street in Bangkok. Unable to stand still, he bought Popeye, who had grown huge over the decades, and brought him home, where his wife was furious. Tanner is so disgusted with everything that he runs away with Popeye, leaving home and work behind. Tanner and Popeye begin a long journey to their hometown where they used to live together. Along the way, they meet a pair of dim-witted cops, a homeless man who has come to terms with his life, a melancholy transgender, and many other unique people...

Special Feature / Bonus Track: behind-the-scenes

ゾウと中年男、タイ縦断500キロの旅! 摩訶不思議なロードムービーがはじまる!! 主役はタネート・ワラークンヌクロ。可愛さと迫力を兼ね備えた主役象ポパイを演じるボンのすばらしい演技。監督は短編が各国の国際映画祭で注目され、CNNの＜注目の人物＞でも取り上げられた、シンガポール出身の女性監督カーステン・タン。サンダンスで脚本賞を受賞、ロッテルダムやチューリッヒなどの国際映画祭でも高い評価を得る。第30回東京国際映画祭CROSSCUT ASIA部門上映作品。 ――かつて有名建築士として名を馳せたタナーは、中年に差し掛かった今、会社に居場所はなく、妻にも相手にされず、人生に疲れ切っていた。そんなある日、彼はバンコクの路上で偶然、幼い頃に飼っていたゾウのポパイを見つける。いても立ってもいられなくなり、数十年を経て巨大に成長したポパイを買い取って家に連れ帰ったところ、妻が激怒。何もかもが嫌になったタナーは、家庭も仕事も放り出し、ポパイと一緒に家出してしまう。かつて一緒に暮らした故郷を目指し、長い旅を始めるタナーとポパイ。その途中、間抜けな警官コンビや人生を悟ったホームレス、哀愁漂うトランスジェンダーなど、個性豊かな人々と出会うが・・・。

映像特典: ビハインド・ザ・シーン