Country: Laos
Directed by Mattie Do
Maybe it seems humble but Chanthaly is a milestone of Laotian cinema. It's the first Laotian horror (rather psychological one) film, the first Laotian film made by a woman director, one of the very few Laotian films that found their way to international audience. Produced with almost zero budget, it doesn't have any amazing visual effects or any impressive aesthetics but instead it gives you a solid sense of realism that is quite rare for the genre. Moreover, 'Chanthaly' has a strong sociopolitical side: exploring, with very delicate and tender way, the life and the emotional world of it's main young female character, reflects a lot of issues related with the position of women in Lao society. Of course you could get a bit disappointed but the turn the film takes, when you realize that is not a feminist manifesto as you thought at first, but you have to keep in mind the heavy cencorship that is imposed at every Lao movie by the authorities
You can watch the full movie here:
https://youtu.be/oYTUlMKd_BI
