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Tears of the black tiger

TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER takes a journey back to a lost past – the heroic years of Thai genre cinema, when influences from Hollywood and everywhere else were subsumed into rollicking Thai melodramas for an audience of avid fans. Sasanatieng’s film is a brilliant pastiche of vanished themes, styles and characters, almost all of them easily recognizable as variants on the prototypes from other popular cinemas. But the film’s project is not simply nostalgic. Sasanatieng uses the tricks and tropes of film style from the 1960’s- iris shots, wipes, obvious back-projection – but combines them with a startling, modernist approach to color and storytelling. The result is not only unique in Thai cinema but also an entirely new way of looking at genre entertainment. 
TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER offers nostalgia as future shock.

When Dum, a young peasant boy, falls in love with Rumpoey, the daughter of a wealthy family, they vow that, whatever happens, they will one day be together. When they meet again ten years later, their rekindled passion is thwarted by the murder of Dum’s father by outlaws and by Rumpoey’s betrothal to a smooth-talking police captain. Dum soon transforms himself into the gunslinging bandit, “Black Tiger,” in order to infiltrate the gang who murdered his father. Fate will reunite the lovers one more time, but will they be able to continue their romance? Or will tragedy strike again? 

MAGNOLIA PICTURES

A leading independent film studio for 20 years, Magnolia Pictures is the theatrical and home entertainment distribution arm of the Wagner/Cuban Companies, boasting a library of over 500 titles. Recent releases include THE LEAGUE, from director Sam Pollard and executive producers Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Tariq Trotter that celebrates the dynamic journey of Negro League baseball's triumphs and challenges through the first half of the twentieth century; Paul Schrader’s Venice and New York Film Festival crime thriller MASTER GARDENER; Lisa Cortés’ Sundance opening night documentary LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING; SXSW Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award-winning comedy I LOVE MY DAD, starring Patton Oswalt; double Oscar nominee COLLECTIVE, Alexander Nanau’s jaw-dropping expose of corruption at the highest levels of government; Dawn Porter’s JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE; Hirokazu Kore-Eda’s Cannes Palme d'Or winner and Oscar-nominated SHOPLIFTERS; Oscar-nominated RBG; Ruben Östlund’s Cannes Palme d'Or winner and Oscar-nominated THE SQUARE; and Raoul Peck and James Baldwin’s Oscar-nominated I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO. Upcoming releases include KOKOMO CITY, D. Smith’s uproarious and unapologetic Sundance documentary about Black trans sex workers; Steve James’ A COMPASSIONATE SPY, a gripping real-life spy story about controversial Manhattan Project physicist Ted Hall; Sundance documentary INVISIBLE BEAUTY, an essential memoir of fashion pioneer Bethann Hardison; JOAN BAEZ I AM A NOISE, a revealing exploration of the iconic folk singer and activist; Venice International Film Festival world premiere THE PROMISED LAND, starring Made Mikkelsen; Joanna Arnow’s Cannes Directors’ Fortnight breakout comedy THE FEELING THAT THE TIME FOR DOING SOMETHING HAS PASSED, executive produced by Sean Baker; and Raoul Peck’s UNTITLED ERNEST COLE DOCUMENTARY, which reveals the untold story of the essential photographer’s life and work.