Free Admission “Allusive and enigmatic … A film that registers its ideas more by sleight of hand than by direct statement … Rewarding [and] beautiful to look at.” Stephen Holden, The New York Times Better to be an enemy than to be alone. Last Life in the Universe marks Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s first collaboration with cinematographer Christopher Doyle and actor Asano Tadanobu. Against the neon-lit backdrop of early 2000s Bangkok, Kenji (Asano), a fish-allergic Japanese librarian with a quiet death wish, meets Noi (Sinitta Boonyasak), an eccentric, weed-smoking bar hostess, on a bridge after both witness the sudden death of Noi’s sister (Laila Boonyasak, Sinitta’s real-life sibling). Deeply entangled with the yakuza in Japan, Kenji has fled the country seeking solitude—and an end to himself. What follows is a quiet odyssey of loneliness between two outsiders who find each other in the restless metropolis. A tender and bold declaration of connection through stillness, Last Life in the Universe remains one of Pen-ek’s most celebrated and beloved works, with Asano’s performance earning him the Best Actor prize at Venice. In Thai, Japanese, and English with English subtitles This free screening is presented as part of “Cinema Thinks the World,” a partnership project between The University of British Columbia and The Cinematheque. After the film, there will be a short reception followed by a one-hour panel talk with audience discussion. Panellists: Chelsea Birks, Igor Drljaca, Pen-ek Ratanaruang, John Roosa Moderators: William Brown, Anton Hing, Anna Sreekullkorn Please note: Unclaimed tickets for complimentary screenings at The Cinematheque will be released 15 minutes before showtime. Please arrive early to guarantee your seat. “What truly differentiates Last Life in the…
