After a fortune teller tells businessman Sakol his ailing mother is near death, he packs the whole family into a van to take her to nine Buddhist temples in a single day, a merit-making tradition meant to bring good karma. The film balances squabbling family comedy with the grandeur of Thai temple architecture. If you love road movies with a spiritual streak, this gentle 140-minute journey is worth it.
What to expect
A 140-minute Thai-language film with English subtitles, part travelogue and part family drama. Expect long, observant scenes inside the van and at temple after temple. The family's bickering and small comforts play against the grandeur of the temples and the rituals of making merit.
Good to know
- Take the 1 train to 66 St–Lincoln Center; the A, B, C and D stop a few blocks south at 59 St–Columbus Circle.
- Dialogue is in Thai with English subtitles.
- Festival screenings start on time, so collect tickets and get in line early.
- If a screening is listed as sold out, check Film at Lincoln Center's site again closer to the day for released seats.
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Common questions
Who directed 9 Temples to Heaven?
Sompot Chidgasornpongse, a longtime assistant director to Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
How long is it?
140 minutes.
