BFI London Film Festival: The Rocket

From the moment he is born, young Ahlo is deemed as cursed and bad luck seems to follow him around. His family, living in rural Laos, a country still scarred from the legacy of war, find they must leave their home when a dam-building project begins. They begin a long journey to Paradise, a new settlement that couldn’t be more misnamed.

Ahlo befriends Kia and her eccentric Uncle Purple, and sets about trying to prove to the world that he can break the stigma of being so unlucky. His plan is to enter a financially rewarding but dangerous – even potentially fatally – rocket-building competition and he sets about constructing the biggest rocket ever in the hope that he will win the love of his family.

Using mainly non-professional actors, Mordaunt's beautifully shot and moving story is never sentimental but perfectly encapsulates the resilience of Laotians as they strive for a better life. 

Dir-Scr Kim Mordaunt. Prod Sylvia Wilczynski. With Sitthiphon Disamoe, Loungnam Kaosainam, Thep Phongam, Bunsri Yindi.

Australia-Laos-Thailand 2013. 96min. UK Distribution Eureka Entertainment.