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London Premiere of Hi-So by Aditya Assarat

Monday 25 February 2013, by Abla Kandalaft

Hi-So by Aditya Assarat opens in London with UK premiere at Curzon Renoir, released by Day for Night.

The second film from award-winning Bangkok based Thai-American director Aditya Assarat (Wonderful Town) HI-SO had its world premiere at Busan International Film Festival and European premiere at Berlinale (Forum). HI-SO premieres in the UK on 1 March 2013 at Curzon Renoir.

Set against the backdrop of a post-tsunami Thailand, HI-SO features Thai film star Ananda Everingham in a bittersweet tale of love, memories and belonging.

Day for Night is pleased to welcome director Aditya Assarat for a Q&A following the UK premiere as well as for a second screening on 2 March 2013 at Hackney Picturehouse. Both screenings will be followed by receptions sponsored by Chang Beer.

Ananda Everingham in HI-SO (Aditya Assarat, Thailand)
Synopsis:
Returning to Thailand after studying in the US, Ananda (played by leading Thailand based actor Ananda Everingham) lands a part in a new film and finds himself swept up in a whirlwind of success. When American girlfriend Zoe turns up to visit, she soon begins to feel shut out and the distance between them grows as Ananda becomes increasingly absorbed with his role in the film. His attention soon turns to May from the film’s production crew, and so as
one relationship fades, another ignites. All the while, Ananda finds himself revisiting his past and reflecting on his present – from the building he grew up in and a Bangkok he once knew, to two cultures that he is now caught between.

Day for Night founder Sonali Joshi said:
"We’re really excited about this new venture into distribution which has evolved as a natural extension of our film curatorial activities. Our aim is to develop a slate of films that represents some of the freshest and most distinctive titles from around the world - a curated library of films with a particular focus on outstanding up-and-coming filmmakers.
“We’re delighted to present Aditya Assarat’s second feature, HI-SO as our first title - a film that bears echoes of François Truffaut’s classic, DAY FOR NIGHT – an ode to cinema and the filmmaking process. Hence it seemed a natural choice to launch our distribution activities with this beautifully atmospheric film."

Mark Adams, Chief Film Critic, Screen Daily:
“An absorbing and beguilingly simple film that is beautifully haunting and effortlessly cool.”

Trevor Johnston, Time Out (4 stars):
“Those attuned to the quiet desolation of an Antonioni or Hou Hsiao-Hsien will find much to admire. A welcome discovery.”

Tony Rayns, Sight and Sound:
“…skillfully crafted images do succeed in defining moods of ennui and dislocation and are none the worse for echoing Antonioni and Yang.”

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