The Rocket

To prove that he is not cursed, young Ahlo makes a giant rocket for a rocket festival. This, however, is not without danger… Poignant movie about the enthusiastic quest of a child, against the background of poverty and superstition in Laos.

Against the lush, green backdrop of Laos, The Rocket tells the story of ten-year-old Ahlo (Sitthiphon Disamoe) who tries to escape his destiny. He is believed to be cursed and therefore gets the blame for everything that goes wrong.
When his village has to make way for the construction of a dam, Ahlo flees into the wilderness together with his father and grandmother, looking for a new home. Their path crosses a rocket festival that provides a lucrative, yet dangerous opportunity. Ahlo decides to makes his own rocket and to show his family what he is capable of. In doing so, he receives help from an unexpected source.