SǒN
A man with a penchant for all things weird & bizarre, multi-instrumentalist, synth wizard, producer, composer, sound engineer, half of the electro-duo Vermin Twins, …, describing Micha Volders quickly covers an entire page. Moreover, his talent is not limited to music and sound, also as an image-maker it translates into, among other things, wonderful video clips and vinyl releases on his record label Mutropia.
In 2023, he travels to Thailand where he shoots D.I.Y.-guerrilla-style SǒN, a short film exploring a father-son relationship against the backdrop of Muay Thai, the Thai national martial art. He returns with his father a second time, this time to meet local musicians, resulting in valuable sound recordings that he incorporates into SǒN.
SǒN is more than a film: in this evocative, semi-documentary, the soundtrack plays an essential role. Volders takes inspiration from the wealth of sound and music from Thailand, but out of respect for traditional Thai music, decides not to reinterpret or ‘remix’ it. Even though he buries some Asian instruments here and there in his composition, he chooses mainly the sounds of classical Western wind instruments, complemented by strings and percussion.
Besides the vinyl album he will release in 2025, SǒN will also be performed as a live performance.And this is where Micha Volders and Eric Sleichim find each other. With their passion for experimentation and breaking musical conventions, they put together the new BL!NDMAN [hybrid] especially for this live project, consisting of multi-instrumentalists Eric Sleichim, Ward De Ketelaere, Tsubasa Hori and Micha Volders, saxophonist Sebastiaan Cooman and cellist Suzanne Vermeyen.
Micha Volders: artistic direction
Ward De Ketelaere: artistic support and arrangements
BL!NDMAN [hybrid]
Micha Volders: multi-instrumentalist
Pieter Pellens: soprano saxophone
Sebastiaan Cooman: baritone saxophone
Tsubasa Hori: percussion
Ward De Ketelaere: percussion, multi-instrumentalist
Suzanne Vermeyen: cello
A production by ANYMOTION VZW and BL!NDMAN
Film
Micha Volders: script, direction, camera, editing, music and sound design
Cast
Wachara Kanha: son
Paramee Khumpeng: ex-lover
Lung Som: father
Yik Yoy: child
Sanit Looktuemsuea: masked fighter 1
Yokthai Khuensuek: masked fighter 2
Petchdaengneua: young fighter
Pongpisan Chunyou: trainer
Wachara Kanha: voice-over
Jethro Volders: assistant director
Chuensumon Dhamanitayakul: production manager
Olivier Ogneux: colour grading
Yves De Mey: mix
Tim Geelen: golden mask
A production by Mutropia
Agenda
The film
SǒN explores, through the story of a Thai father and his son, the universal idea of untapped potential in relation to social, economic and familial influences. Does genetic inheritance inevitably shape our identity, despite our attempts to make our own way?
The short film chronicles the complex relationship between a thirty-something and his late father, a former Thai boxer. The protagonist reflects on his father’s legacy as a Muay Thai fighter and his own failure to follow in his footsteps, despite a promising start as a young athlete.
A fever dream acts as a catalyst for his decision to train again and enter a tournament, despite the impossible chance of success.