photo by MerryMarry
Komtouch Dew Napattaloong is a visual artist and filmmaker from Thailand. His work explores identity deconstructions, belonging anxieties, migration narratives, and historical translations. He examines questions of memory, displacement, and the fluid nature of identity, often through experimental and documentary forms. Komtouch’s latest film work, "IN SUM ผีพัฒนา”, is selected for the 76th Berlinale Forum Expanded for its world premiere. His 2024 film “NO EXORCISM FILM”, competed at CPH:DOX for the NEW:VISION award and his debut feature documentary, "HOURS OF OURS", premiered at the Visions du Réel 2023 International Competition. A 2025 Prince Claus Fund Seed Awardee and a 2024 Berlinale Talents participant, his works have been showcased at various international festivals such as YamagataIDFF, JeonjuIFF, 68th BFI London Experimenta, Visions du Réel, SingaporeIFF, Festival Film Dokumenter Jogja, and Mar Del Plata. Additionally, his works are featured at the Bangkok Biennial, Protocinema's A Few In Many Places Bangkok exhibition, Thailand Biennale's Open World Cinema, and the GHOST2568 triennial.
In 2016, Komtouch participated in the “Filmmaking in Cuba” workshop with mentorship from Abbas Kiarostami, resulting in the Cuban short film EL CIELO. In 2018, Komtouch presented "Do You See The Sky Falling" a photo and video exhibition exploring anxiety, followed by participation in the "454/278-81" group exhibition where he presented a nostalgic and haunting photo series called “Notes on Matriarch” as part of the Bangkok Biennial. His documentary short video “Unmoved" shed light on the Hmong asylum-seeking community in Thailand and was featured in the "There Is No Thai Park" exhibition at the Goethe Institute Thailand in 2020. Further expanding on these themes and narratives, he exhibited the photo and video series "Frequent Collaborator" in 2021 as part of Protocinema's multi-city group exhibition. In 2025, Komtouch is a participating artist of the final edition of the Ghost triennial, Ghost2568: Wish We Were Here as well as a participating artist for Noir Row Art Space’s Parallel II InterZone.
In addition, Komtouch produced Thai documentary feature films such as BREAKING THE CYCLE (Hot Docs 2024, competed for Sheffield DocFest’s Tim Hetherington Award, Alternative Film Award, and the Asian Pacific Screen Awards) and SOIL WITHOUT LAND (Visions du Réel 2019, Special Jury Prize at the Taiwan International Documentary Festival). Komtouch has actively engaged with Bangkok's urban asylum-seeking community, advocating for their health, safety, and well-being. He also contributed as the curator of films for the SAC Anthropology Center film festival and monthly screening series, while serving as the Lab Manager for Southeast Asia Fiction Film Lab (SEAFIC) from 2018 until its closure in 2022. He has also served as a lecturer, mentor, curator and programmer, selection committee member for various film related programs and initiatives in Southeast Asia.
With Dano Napattaloong, he is the co-founder of Rare Occupant, an audio-visual works production company and services based in Thailand.
In 2016, Komtouch participated in the “Filmmaking in Cuba” workshop with mentorship from Abbas Kiarostami, resulting in the Cuban short film EL CIELO. In 2018, Komtouch presented "Do You See The Sky Falling" a photo and video exhibition exploring anxiety, followed by participation in the "454/278-81" group exhibition where he presented a nostalgic and haunting photo series called “Notes on Matriarch” as part of the Bangkok Biennial. His documentary short video “Unmoved" shed light on the Hmong asylum-seeking community in Thailand and was featured in the "There Is No Thai Park" exhibition at the Goethe Institute Thailand in 2020. Further expanding on these themes and narratives, he exhibited the photo and video series "Frequent Collaborator" in 2021 as part of Protocinema's multi-city group exhibition. In 2025, Komtouch is a participating artist of the final edition of the Ghost triennial, Ghost2568: Wish We Were Here as well as a participating artist for Noir Row Art Space’s Parallel II InterZone.
In addition, Komtouch produced Thai documentary feature films such as BREAKING THE CYCLE (Hot Docs 2024, competed for Sheffield DocFest’s Tim Hetherington Award, Alternative Film Award, and the Asian Pacific Screen Awards) and SOIL WITHOUT LAND (Visions du Réel 2019, Special Jury Prize at the Taiwan International Documentary Festival). Komtouch has actively engaged with Bangkok's urban asylum-seeking community, advocating for their health, safety, and well-being. He also contributed as the curator of films for the SAC Anthropology Center film festival and monthly screening series, while serving as the Lab Manager for Southeast Asia Fiction Film Lab (SEAFIC) from 2018 until its closure in 2022. He has also served as a lecturer, mentor, curator and programmer, selection committee member for various film related programs and initiatives in Southeast Asia.
With Dano Napattaloong, he is the co-founder of Rare Occupant, an audio-visual works production company and services based in Thailand.
