The Rocket

Australian director Kim Mordaunt’s award-winning film about the nomadic struggles of a Laotian family, and the boy who tries to restore their fortunes by building a giant rocket.

Australian director Kim Mordaunt’s award-winning film focuses on the lives and customs of the people of Laos, telling the story of a nomadic family who seem to be beset by disaster. A young boy who’s blamed by his family for the string of misfortune tries to reverse their luck by building a rocket to win a local competition.

Mainly calling on the talents of non-professional actors, Mordaunt’s beautifully filmed mixture of ethnographic study and affecting drama was the winner of top prizes at the Tribeca Film Festival.