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Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Director, editor, writer and producer, also actor · Born July 16, 1970 (56) · Bangkok, Thailand

Apichatpong Weerasethakul is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. His feature films include Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, winner of the prestigious 2010 Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or prize; Tropical Malady, which won a jury prize at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival; Blissfully Yours, which won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard program at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival; and Syndromes and a Century, which premiered at the 63rd Venice Film Festival and was the first Thai film to be entered in competition there. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, Weerasethakul has directed several features and dozens of short films. Themes reflected in his films (frequently discussed in interviews) include dreams, nature, sexuality (including his own homosexuality), and Western perceptions of Thailand and Asia, and his films display a preference for unconventional narrative structures (like placing titles/credits at the middle of a film) and for working with non-actors.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 16, 1970 (56)
From
Bangkok, Thailand
Works as
Director, editor, writer and producer, also actor
Titles
9 on MovieCove · 126 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

What are Apichatpong Weerasethakul's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Genres

Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
30%
Society
24%
Ideas
22%
Survival
17%
Power
7%
Memory3 titles, browse their movies with this themeArt2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 2 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 3

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 5 · Charged 3 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 2

Ambiguous: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their ambiguous movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 2 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
7
Melancholic
2
Absurd
3
Dread
2
Hopeful
1
Other
3

How their films linger

Thought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet1
  • Ambiguous6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Apichatpong Weerasethakul's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 9 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Apichatpong Weerasethakul's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

126 credits, 9 with a MovieCove page; 8 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • 9 Temples to Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Producer

  • A Flower of Forgetfulness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Director

  • Phantoms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Director

  • Le bureau qui avait peur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director · Editor · as Self

  • January Stories (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director

  • El Vaquero(2024)

    Thanks

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Solarium (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director

  • Nitrate: To the Ghosts of the 75 Lost Philippine Silent Films (1912-1933) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Producer

  • On Blue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director

  • Durmiente (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director

  • For Bruce (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director

  • A Conversation with the Sun (Installation) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director · Cinematographer

  • Action et Réaction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director

  • Sleep Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director

  • Three Rocks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director

  • Walking (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Director

  • Uncertain Path (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Actor

  • Memoria(2021)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • The Year of the Everlasting Storm(2021)

    Director · Editor

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Night Colonies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director

  • Sarit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director

  • Waterfall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director

  • Flowers & Banana Wind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director

  • 2020 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director

  • October Rumbles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director

  • Cinetracts '20 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director

  • Decameron (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director

  • Seeing Circles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Director

  • 30/30 Vision: 3 Decades of Strand Releasing(2019)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Untitled (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director

  • 2019 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director

  • Hale County This Morning, This Evening(2018)

    Creative Consultant

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Blue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director · Editor

  • Fiction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director

  • Ten Years Thailand(2018)

    Director · Editor · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director

  • Jenjira, Brother Triam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director

  • Sakda, Somchai (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director

  • Memoria, Boy at Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Director

  • async - first light (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Director

  • Railway Sleepers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Producer

  • 2017 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Director

  • Ablaze (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • Art Through Our Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • The Parrot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Thanks

  • Invisibility (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director · Writer

  • Fan Dog (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • Fever Room (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director

  • Vapour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Editor · Writer

  • Cemetery of Splendor(2015)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Rolling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Writer

  • Short Plays (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director

  • Fireworks (Archives) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor

  • Father (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director

  • Fireworks Sketch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director

  • Footprints (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director

  • For Monkeys Only (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Director

  • Concrete Clouds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Producer

  • Venice 70: Future Reloaded (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • One Water (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • Dilbar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • Blue Propeller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • Cactus River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor

  • Sakda (Rousseau) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director

  • Mekong Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer · Writer · as Self

  • Ashes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director · Writer

  • 20 Little Films (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Director

  • Quattro Hong Kong 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director

  • 3.11 A Sense of Home Films(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Monsoon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Editor · Idea

  • M Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director

  • Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives(2010)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Reincarnate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Producer

  • Phantoms of Nabua (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • A Dedicated Machine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • Making of the Spaceship (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • Nabua (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • A Letter to Uncle Boonmee (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director · Editor · Screenplay

  • An Evening Shoot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • Haiku (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • Behind the Blur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • I'm Still Breathing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • Nabua Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • Primitive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • Stories on Human Rights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director

  • Mobile Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor

  • Diseases and a Hundred Year Period (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Producer

  • Vampire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Writer

  • Prosperity for 2008 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director

  • The Palace (Pipittan Tee Taipei) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director

  • Meteorites (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Editor

  • Emerald (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor · Producer

  • The State of the World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Cinematographer

  • Luminous People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director

  • My Mother’s Garden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor

  • Teem (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Director

  • The Anthem (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director

  • Syndromes and a Century (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Ghost of Asia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor · Idea

  • Worldly Desires (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor

  • The Desire of the World: Jeonju Digital Project 2005 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • Tropical Malady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director · Screenplay

  • The Adventure of Iron Pussy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director · Writer

  • TON (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director

  • This and a Million More Lights (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor

  • Nokia Short (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor

  • Blissfully Yours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Writer

  • I-San Special (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Idea

  • Second Love in Hong Kong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director

  • Haunted Houses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor

  • Father (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director

  • Boys at Noon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director

  • Mysterious Object at Noon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director · Camera Operator · Cinematographer · Editor · Writer

  • Thirdworld (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor · Actor

  • Malee and the Boy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor

  • Windows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor

  • Circulation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Runner

  • 0116643225059 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor

  • Like the Relentless Fury of the Pounding Waves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director · Camera Operator · Editor

  • Bullet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director

  • For Shellie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Jenjira, Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Jenjira's Magnificent Dream (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

  • Mi Madre Siempre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Untitled Apichatpong Weerasethakul Dreams Project (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 126 titles, 120 of them dated from 1993 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010)

$1.2M worldwide

Highest rated

Guang yin de gu shi: Tai wan xin dian ying (2014)

Midcredits 77th

Most popular right now

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting4 of 126: 3 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting112 of 126: 73 only directing, 39 with another role · typical Midcredits score46thWriting21 of 126: 1 only writing, 20 with another roleProducing14 of 126: 7 only producing, 7 with another roleCinematography4 of 126: 0 only cinematography, 4 with another roleEditing23 of 126: 0 only editing, 23 with another roleOther crew19 of 126: 3 only other crew, 16 with another role

126 titles, 39 with more than one role — directing and editing overlap on 23 of them.

By decade

1990s7 · 2 acting · 6 crew2000s40 · 1 acting · 39 crew2010s45 · crew2020s28 · 1 acting · 27 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Apichatpong Weerasethakul's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 9; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

59thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 9 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

6 of their 9 titles are Mixed.

  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · director

30/30 Vision: 3 Decades of Strand Releasing (2019)

86th percentile spread · 45% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, writer, producer

Cemetery of Splendor (2015)

Midcredits 77th · 64% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 78/100 and the pacing 28/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Apichatpong Weerasethakul work with?

People who share at least 2 of Apichatpong Weerasethakul's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Lee Chatametikool shares the most, 4.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles