Melissa Flox M

Critical to the film's authenticity was its location — the village of 'Khun Narin,' a five-hour drive from Bangkok, rarely visited by tourists. Ciesay emphasizes, "It was essential that the film was shot in the village where ‘Khun Narin’ are from, as their music is where this whole journey began."

Featuring a soundtrack by the local band 'Khun Narin' and their DIY sound system, the film showcases the village's creativity, with bladesmiths forging knives from hot steel. The theme of craftsmanship extends to O Thongthai's handcrafted jewellery, worn by everyone in the film. Wongchayuth "Yaa" Sukhowattanakij, preserving Thailand's hand-drawn movie poster art, contributes with a bespoke film poster.

The collaboration between O Thongthai and Ciesay originated as a cultural exchange, delving into each other's visual references, films, and sounds since their meeting in 2016. Stuck in England in 2020, O discovered 'Khun Narin,' a psychedelic band from a remote Thai village, sparking the inspiration for the new jewellery collection rooted in the sounds and feelings of home.

The collection is a homecoming for the brand, reverting to its roots in Thailand, renowned for its gemstones and rich history in jewellery craftsmanship. Handcrafted by O Thongthai, the pieces feature natural materials sourced exclusively from Thailand, including pearls, freshwater shell with blister pearls, and beach glass framed in silver. The natural stones, such as red jasper, rose quartz, green agate, and obsidian snowflake, accentuate the collection's organic allure.

To bring the project closer to the audience, a poster featuring stills from the film and a copy of the hand-drawn film poster are available. Each unique jewellery piece is priced at $300, with all proceeds donated to UNICEF's Children of Gaza Crisis campaign.

Explore the collaboration by visiting www.othongthai.com