Micha Volders and Mutropia present SǒN, a wandering portrait of a prodigal son and his late father set against the world of Muay Thai. Blending raw, documentary-like realism with elements of fiction, the short film is anchored by the compelling presence of Bangkok-born actor Wachara Kanha.

Currently on its festival run, SǒN has won Best International Short at the Itaewon Film Festival (Seoul), Best Narrative Short at SEAiff (Manila) Best International Short at Nitiin IFF (Malaysia), and Best Original Score at the Wallachia IFF (Bucharest). The film had its official première at Film Festival Oostende and has been officially selected to compete at Brussels Shortfilm Festival, Venezia Shorts, 33 IFF Beijing, Berlin Lift-Off and many other festivals.

Synopsis

A wandering portrait of an ex-convict, living in the shadow of his father and the echoes of a lost Muay Thai career. As he tries to rebuild his life in a changing world, he is drawn back to the ring in search of redemption.

About The Director

Micha Volders is a Belgian musician, filmmaker, and producer active in the underground. He holds a master’s degree in animation film from RITCS in Brussels. As founder of the label and platform Mutropia, he has released eclectic music under his own name and with projects such as Vermin Twins and Meteor Musik, and regularly collaborates with artists in theatre and visual arts. His debut short film SǒN brings these elements together in a physical, sensory experience. translate french

About the Music & Live Performance

The SǒN soundtrack blends angular orchestral textures, sharp, transgressive percussion and meandering minimalist patterns and soundscapes. The music fuses electronic and acoustic elements to build a rich sonic world that enhances the film’s emotional landscape. The soundtrack will be released as a 2LP Limited Edition via Mutropia. On top of that this world of sound will be brought to life by a trio featuring Tsubasa Hori, Andrew Claes, and Volders himself.

Japanese percussionist Hori, a former member of the legendary drumming ensemble Kodo, performs on a wide-ranging instrumentarium, shifting between raw physical intensity and extreme sonic precision. Claes is known for his intergalactic sax work with STUFF. among many other projects, and blends acoustic saxophones and flutes with hybrid electronic woodwinds. Volders provides the sonic foundations and textures on which the original soundtrack was built, combining electronics with electro-acoustic instruments.

Sound and image converge as the performance is accompanied by visuals drawn from the archives of SǒN. Presented as a series of tableaux vivants, these images expand the film’s visual language and extend its narrative universe beyond the screen.

SǒN Trio

• Tsubasa Hori — Percussion, Koto, Voice
• Andrew Claes — Saxophones, Flutes, Electronics
• Micha Volders — Electronics, Electro-Acoustic Instruments