A housekeeper receives a film from her daughter that weaves together found footage of Thailand during the Cold War with contemporary images of Bangkok. This film evokes memories of stories she heard from her woman employer, prompting her to recount her own journey to the capital. Here We Are, which was selected by Berlinale’s Forum Expanded section, explores the present by reflecting on the past, highlighting how the legacy of colonization has persisted and become normalized in today’s society.

Chanasorn Chaikitiporn is a filmmaker and moving image artist whose interest lies in exploration and interrogation of socio-political histories of Thailand. His works examine questions on culture, political thought, identity and personal historical memory through the lens of semi-coloniality. In combining fiction film and documentary film genre, he investigates on archival, found footages and declassified documents. Chanasorn is a member of ELSE, a moving image screening series based in Bangkok, Thailand.