Thailand has chosen 9 Temples to Heaven, directed by Sompot Chidgasornpongse, as its official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.
The National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations announced the selection after an industry committee evaluated 51 eligible domestic releases. The multi-nation co-production—spanning Thailand, Singapore, France, Norway, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Qatar—enters the global awards race following its initial premiere in the Directors’ Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival.
A Ritual Race Against Time
The film centres on a middle-aged man named Sakol who learns from a fortune teller that his elderly mother faces imminent death. Desperate to alter her fate two weeks before her birthday, Sakol organizes a frantic one-day pilgrimage across Thailand’s temple network, bringing along his wife, siblings, and children.
As the nine relatives move through traditional religious sites, the continuous spiritual rituals take an exhausting physical and mental toll on the ailing matriarch.
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Chidgasornpongse drew directly from personal life when developing the project. “The story comes from my own journey with my family to temple trips. I grew up with quite a religious family, so going to temples is something very common for us,” Chidgasornpongse explained during an interview at Cannes.
Experienced Creative Collaborations
The production brings together seasoned arthouse filmmakers. Renowned director and Palme d’Or winner Apichatpong Weerasethakul produced the film alongside Kissada Kamyoung, Thomas Hakim, and Julien Graff.
Chidgasornpongse worked for over twenty years as an assistant director alongside Weerasethakul on acclaimed titles including Tropical Malady, Syndromes and a Century, Cemetery of Splendour, and Memoria. French production company petit chaos, which previously backed the award-winning feature All We Imagine as Light, co-produced the project with Kick The Machine Films and regional partners across Asia.
The Road to the Shortlist
Thailand has submitted 33 films to the Academy’s international category since 1984, aiming to secure its first official nomination. The country reached the 15-film shortlist for the first time at the 97th Academy Awards with the hit drama How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce the complete international shortlist later this year ahead of the final five nominees. The 99th Academy Awards ceremony will take place in Los Angeles on 14 March 2027.
