Tang Wong: Dance of beliefs

Photo Courtesy  http://www.berlinale.de

There are times in a person’s life they wish that a miracle could happen. That you just wave a magic wand and everything you desire becomes real. It is this very same wish that ultimately leads us to believe in superstitions, good luck charms and horoscopes. We are always striving to find short cuts in life. Tang Wong  by Kongdej Jaturanrasmee tries to express this need to believe in miracles and customs. 

The film follows the life of four high school boys who  driven by very different reasons, end up praying before the at a spirit house near their school, promising to give the idol a Thai dance if their wishes come true.  In this case their wishes do come true obligating them to complete their vows but there is only one problem none of them know how to dance. 

Photo Courtesy  http://www.berlinale.de

 A simple enough premise which if following the usual pattern would end up with the protagonists overcoming their differences, sticking up for each other and finding the courage to face their fears. But that is not the case here. In this story the protagonist are modern teenagers who have very little connection with their traditional and cultural values. They do not take their vows seriously and they have no intention of performing the dance. But the fear of the unknown is a very strong motivator that has them trying to find a solution to this predicament. Touching very serious issues like youth and their traditional beliefs, parent’s expectation of their kids and the Thai political movement Tang Wong is a portrayal of a country and its youth lost in translation. A society on the brink of breaking through the chains of cultural dogmatism while at the same time rooted to spot by belief in the unexplainably. But in the end the protagonist have to take a stand and face the harsh realities of life. Thought provoking and entertaining Tang Wong is a film that should be watched to understand the changing mindset of the youth and their liberation from age old beliefs.