In the tiny, landlocked nation of Laos, there is a national lottery. It is not simply a game of numbers; it is a source of hope and a shared cultural experience. And when the results are announced on October 23, people come together, united in anticipation and camaraderie.
A few years ago, a number was called in and there was a great deal of excitement as it held a substantial prize. The winner was a woman who grew up in an orphanage during the turbulent 1960s and ’70s and then moved to the United States with her husband. She decided to donate some of the winnings to her home country to help the people who helped raise her.
But that’s not the only time the lottery has been in the news. It has also been accused of corruption and mismanagement. RFA has learned that some of the companies responsible for running the lottery are linked to members of the country’s ruling elite. One, Insee Trading Company, is owned by a man with ties to the family of former prime minister Thongsing. The company has also been accused of manipulating the numbers to boost sales.
There are also questions about the way the lottery is run, including whether or not it is legal. The mayor of Montreal has said it is not, but the federal government says it does not violate federal law.
Dearest Sister is a film that takes a very real issue and turns it into a supernatural thriller, a class critique and a psychological horror flick. It is a very well-made film, and, I would argue, it is better than many of the Thai movies that are released each year. It is directed by Mattie Do, an American who grew up in California but maintains a close connection with her ancestors’ homeland. She began making films a few years ago without any formal training. This is her second feature film. She is planning to make a sci-fi next.
