Synopsis

At the end of 2011, puppeteers from Germany, France, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia came together at Chiang Mai venue ‘Empty Space’ in northern Thailand for a workshop led by German director Manuel Lutgenhorst. The groups were asked to create a new collaborative piece to be performed in Chiang Mai, Phnom Penh and Yangon, exploring the topic of ‘home’. Filmed by a Burmese-Cambodian crew, Puppets Beyond Borders follows these Asian and European troupes as they prepare their pieces and encounter each other’s rich and diverse puppetry traditions – from shadow play to glove puppets and marionettes – and takes a look at the players’ innovative approaches to reinterpreting their art for today’s audiences.