16/12/2023
OK Cinema @ Wonderfruit Music Festival 2023
As an extension of the “Wonder OK” film specially created for Wonderfruit, studiOK presents a series of films that span over a decade of Navin Rawanchaikul’s creative journeys going back to his first celluloid production in Bollywood. Showcasing the art of storytelling, the vignettes include his search for other Navins of the world and their establishment of Navinland. Alongside his family’s storied history, ultimately Navin’s life in art has bridged different communities in lands real and imagined, thus creating his OK Commune. Now festival-goers can immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of his musical oeuvres with a nightly 90-minute looped screening of 10 of the artist's best films.
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1. Wonder OK (2022, 17:25 min.)
A lonesome artist and a mysterious box take a winding journey of self-discovery through countries and communities near and far in search of the promised land. A star-studded line-up of performers on the soundtrack includes SUTHEP BAND : คณะสุเทพฯ JuiJuis จุลโหฬาร : Junlaholaan Band and ‘The God of Khene’, Sombat Simla. (Directed by Peasadet Compiranont)
2. Khaek Pai Krai Ma (2019, 16:19 min.)
Featuring tracks ranging from old Bollywood to Hip Hop in style, Navin harks back to his Indo-Thai roots with his band of collaborators to present an audio-visual anthology that lifts the lid on life as part of the Indian diaspora in Thailand. (Leading singers: Aruni Bagga Nath Vacher Wicha Teddaroon and JuiJuis, Produced in collaboration with DDMY STUDIO Co.,Ltd.)
3. OK Na (2017, 3:17 min.)
Launched at Roppongi Art Night in Tokyo in 2017, this short film’s soundtrack is the artist’s collaboration with Chiang Mai musician JuiJuis. The song OK Na narrates an imagined land where the definition of OK is universally shared. (Produced in collaboration with DDMY STUDIO Co.,Ltd.)
4. Miracle Pha Khao Mar (2016, 6:41 min.)
The follow-up to a 1990’s socio-cultural project that spotlighted the pha khao mar loincloth and its context in Thai life, this film features leading singer Rasmee Isan Soul performing a famous luk thung country song produced specially for the Jim Thompson Farm Tour 2016. (Guest artist: JuiJuis, Produced in collaboration with DDMY STUDIO Co.,Ltd.)
5. OK Island (2016, 7:55 min.)
On a remote island in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea, an artist with a lost soul meets a demon from his dreams who tells him he must find OK Island to break the spell on his life. The artist’s search includes joining with the islanders to build the OK Tower. (Produced in collaboration with DDMY STUDIO Co.,Ltd. for Setouchi Triennale Islands, Art and more...)
6. OK Nakorn (2016, 4:32 min.)
A journey to Songkhla's old town in Thailand’s deep south, taking in the influence of migrants on its cultural heritage and community. Warm welcomes inspire the artist and his travel companion to find the meaning of OK in the charming old town. (Leading singers: Wicha Teddaroon, Navin Rawanchaikul and guest singers from Songkhla community. Produced in collaboration with DDMY STUDIO Co.,Ltd.)
7. Feeling OK (2015, 4:16 min.)
In a lull between creative projects the artist takes time off at his Chiang Mai studio to ruminate on a life in art, reflecting on what it means to be OK, finding contentment in his soul and how the art of storytelling informs the art of living.
(Leading singers: Wicha Teddaroon and Navin Rawanchaikul. Produced in collaboration with DDMY STUDIO Co.,Ltd.)
8. I’m Not OK (2015, 5:41 min.)
The tale of two sons who are not OK with taking over the family’s fabric store. The youngest, a dreamy artist, returns to his roots to discover the definition of OK from his aging father. Featuring musician Wicha Teddaroon in the first of many collaborations with studiOK. (Produced in collaboration with DDMY STUDIO Co.,Ltd.)
9. Narvin Party (2009, 8:23 min.)
In the last chapter of the Navin Party series, Chairman Navin travels to New Orleans on learning that 90-year-old banjoist (and near-namesake) Narvin Kimball has passed away without having a proper funeral. Hence the Navin Party team joins the late performer’s Preservation Hall Jazz Band to create a fitting memorial to the legendary musician. (In collaboration with Tyler Russell for Prospect New Orleans)
10. Navins of Bollywood (2006, 10:33 min.)
Directed by Narendra Mojidra, the story of the foundation of the Navin Party begins with a letter from an unknown sender asking, “Are you Navin?” The message sends the artist to India’s famous Bollywood where he discovers many other Navins, including a Guru Navin who teaches him salient life-lessons.
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OK Cinema @ Wonderfruit Music Festival
Show time: 18:00 – 24:00
The program is looped every 90 minutes with screenings beginning at 18:00, 19:30, 21:00 and 22:30.