Thai Film The Cave Makes its Premiere at Busan International Film Festival

Last year the world was captivated by a real-life horrific event when the football team of schoolboys and their coach got stuck in Tham Luang Nang Non-caves, Thailand, for 18 days. Rescue teams were deployed and after a crucial rescue operation, the boys were brought out safely.

As the world rejoiced the successful operation and the boys reunited with their families, Irish-Thai filmmaker Tom Waller decided to film the event in his now titled movie ‘The Cave’.

Read More : Real-life heroes to star in film based upon Thai cave rescue ‘The Cave’

The Cave now made its premier at the 24th Busan International Film Festival and among the attendees was a very special guest who was present both at the real event and movie.

“I’d returned home after completing the rescue and the pressure suddenly changed,” said Ireland-based Belgian rescuer, Jim Warny who was a part of the rescue-divers team.

“It was almost like more pressure than the actual event. But it´s worked out OK in the end,” added Warny while talking to AFP.

Talking about his experience of shooting for the film, the diver said, “For me, it’s not about making a profit it’s been about inspiring other people to show that great things can be achieved, against the odds.”

“Physically, I was back at work on Tuesday after I returned on Sunday. But it took six months to come to terms with it and I worked through a lot of it during filming too,” he shared.

However, interestingly, the Cave does not focus much on those trapped but the rescue team and the operation they carried out.

It is primarily because the people who were trapped have signed a contract with Netflix for  $100,000 each, that gives the streaming site a right to release the movie on the topic. Additionally, a National Geographic documentary is also underway about the event.

Filmmaker Tom Waller, however, looks at it from an optimistic approach.

“There was a lot of detail of the rescue that the world hadn’t really been told about, like the sedation of the kids and the background to the rescuers,” said Waller.

The Cave is set to release across Thailand on November 28, followed by multiple international releases.