Directorial debut feature film from Joshua Trigg.
Set and shot in the country of Laos, Trigg takes his investigative camera style to tell the story of Satu and Bo; an unusual buddy coming of age movie.
Satu is a Buddhist orphan, taken in by a monastery when left on the doorstep by his mother as a newborn. Bo, is a student wishing to study photojournalism in Hanoi, Vietnam and flee the abusive father in her unhappy home.
Bo must construct a photo essay to gain entrance to the university. She leaves home, seeking purpose and answers. She happens upon the monastery and meets Satu at Pha Tang Temple, which is dealing with recent floods. The two set about on a motorcycle journey north for Satu to find his mother, and Bo to find her story.
The film effectively uses the tropes of the road-trip movie and the bonding of an unlikely twosome amidst gorgeous photography of the unspoilt natural landscape. Director; Trigg has crafted a tale that is both intimate but universal in its themes and this mixture of human action within nature.
Both Satu and Bo are seeking a place to belong; the young boy seeks the loving arms of family and Bo seeks a purpose away from an abusive home.
An early scene after they leave the monastery and the bike breaks down sees the two leads playing games as the sun sets. This sheer spontaneity of such moments shows a freedom to this life for the two of them.
It pleasingly lets the plot flow whilst showing character development of Satu growing and the foundations of their partnership.
Credit to the performances from Itthiphone Sonepho as the young Satu and Vanathiva Saysana as Bo, which are naturalistic and rewarding in that they feel like friends of many years.
This is a film full of philosophy and finding answers in the world in the unlikeliest of places and to find belonging.
The narrative may be a tale as old as time but this debut production is shot with such intimacy and care to raise it above normal fare and marks Trigg out as a director of keen interest to keep an eye upon.
Watch the trailer for Satu: Year of the Rabbit here.
Chatter Box Film 