Thai Filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul Awarded France’s Legion of Honor
9June 16, 2026
For his contributions “to bringing cultures closer together and enriching the dialogue between France and Thailand,” Thai artist and filmmakerApichatpong Weerasethakulwas made a Knight of the National Order of theLegion of Honorin aceremonyat the French Residence in Bangkok on June 10. The award, which is France’s highest military and civil honor, was bestowed upon him by Jean-Claude Poimboeuf, the French ambassador to Thailand.
Regarded as an auteur and a leading figure in slow cinema, Weerasethakul has worked outside the confines of commercial Thai cinema on films that explore subjects like memory, dreams, sexuality, political violence, and folklore. Weerasethakul wasbornin Bangkok to ethnically Chinese parents in 1970, and grew up in the city of Khon Kaen. He began making short films in the 1990s before studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and directed his first feature-length production, an experimental documentary titledMysterious Object at Noon, in 2000.
Weerasethakul became the first Thai director to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his 2010 film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. He subsequently received the Cannes Jury Prize for the film Memoria, eleven years later. In addition to his own productions, Weerasethakul has mentored and supported new generations of Thai filmmakers by co-founding the Bangkok Experimental Film Festival, and starting the independent film production studio, Kick the Machine Films. In the announcement about Weerasethakul receiving the Legion of Honor award, the French Embassy in Thailand noted that with this distinction, “France pays tribute to an artist whose work shines far beyond its borders.” Weerasethakul’s next film, Jenjira’s Magnificent Dream, is set to release in 2027.