Pop Aye

Pop Aye is a 2017 Singaporean-Thai drama film directed by Kirsten Tan. A debut feature by Tan, the road film tells the story of a man as he tries to take his long-lost elephant back to their rural hometown. The first Singaporean film selected to screen at the Sundance, it competed and won a Special Jury Prize in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. It was selected as the Singaporean entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated. Tan's success at pursuing her dreams and interests in filmmaking was mentioned in Parliament in April 2017 by Ong Ye Kung, the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills), as he highlighted the need for parents in allowing their children to pursue their interests. Plot Thana (Thaneth Warakulnukroh), a middle-aged architect, is disillusioned at work as well as at home with his wife Bo (Penpak Sirikul). One day, as he wanders the Bangkok city, he chances upon an elephant which turns out to be his childhood companion, Pop Aye. He then decides to take the elephant back to the rural village where they both grew up and into his uncle Peak's (Narong Pongpab) care. They embark on their homecoming journey through the rural Thailand to their hometown in Loei Province, Isan together. Cast Thaneth Warakulnukroh as Thana Bong as Pop Aye Penpak Sirikul as Bo Chaiwat Khumdee as Dee Yukontorn Sukkijja as Jenni Narong Pongpab as Peak