The Rocket is a soaring drama set in the distant mountains of Loas, and the film focuses on a ten year-old Ahlo (Sitthiphon Disamoe) who has everything familiar torn away from him and must regather his resources to create something worthwhile. Director Kim Mordaunt, debut is a well crafted one in the sense that if the casting had been another choice, this film could’ve easily felt like a chore to push through rather than a pleasure.

The film opens on a striking image of a Mali woman giving birth, with her mothers assistance she successfully gives birth to one child, then gives birth to the stillborn twin. Her superstitious mother informs her to kill the living child because it could be the ‘cursed’ of the twins. She states that in every twin set there is a ‘lucky’ one and a ‘cursed’ one. Not heeding her mothers wishes she doesn’t kill the child and we cut forward 10-years later. Ahlo is an adventurous child, a jack of many trades, and well liked throughout his the village.

Change arrives when the people are forced to move due to an impending dam that will flood the village they currently reside. On their journey to the next city, Ahlo’s mother unexpectedly gets killed and due to the unluckiness of the accident, the grandmother blames the incident on him, and promptly informs him he’s ‘cursed’ and he shouldn’t even be alive. He’s officially lost everything he’s ever known, the solace of a home, mother, father & grandmother’s love, all in one fail swoop.

The way Mordaunt paints images throughout this endearing tale is splendid to say the least, you feel highly engrossed and terrible for what the child is enduring.

When Ahlo arrives at the new village he meets Kia (Loungnam Kaosainam), a young girl who has lost both of her parents. Both Ahlo & Kia relate on this level among many others, she’s being raised by her uncle “Purple”, a quirky man who’s obsession for American legend James Brown has influenced his style. The duo quickly become attached at the hip helping each other move forward throughout the film, for such a dark subject matter Mourdaunt keeps it light even when dealing with things of  such a heavy nature.

The third act of the film takes place during a rocket competition, the point of the competition to ‘poke the sky’ to evoke rain in an otherwise dry area. The film concludes with Ahlo taking everything he’s learned among his journey and putting it all into his rocket, soars to success. Though it feels a little formulaic, it is a great metaphor that caps the film off leaving the viewer in a euphoric state of ‘awe.’

Last night the film picked up honors for best feature at the 2013 Tribeca film festival, congrats hard work pays off!