1961 / 129 min. / 35mm / colour Director : R.D. Pestonji Prae is a widowed mother who dresses all in black to mourn her dead husband. Her relationship with Thom, who runs a nightclub, leads her to become involved in a murder, which Seni, the nightclub owner and Thom’s boss, and Thom commit together in the hope of a better life. Instead of helping Thom and Prae fulfil their hope of love, it becomes a situation that pushes their hope ever further out of reach, and turns both of their lives upside down. It prevents them from ever being able to be together again.
Prae Dum, a crime story that can be considered Thailand’s very first ‘film noir’. It is a classic work that makes superb use of artistic filmmaking techniques to develop the story and convey its message. The film was shown at the Berlin International Film Festival, in 1961.
