Wat Lok Molee sits just outside the north side of Chiang Mai's moat, which has spared it much of the traffic that circulates through the temples inside the walls. Its great chedi is a mass of weathered brick, stepped and buttressed, with niches holding standing Buddha figures; tradition connects it to the Mangrai rulers of Lan Na, whose ashes are said to be kept within. Beside it stands a viharn of dark teak, its carved gables and interior columns representing northern Thai craftsmanship at its most characteristic. The film moves between the two - the eroded brick and the warm, polished wood - and follows the life of a working neighbourhood temple: the morning alms round, offerings, the making and maintenance of the buildings. Filmed in 4K in low sun. An atmospheric companion piece to the major Chiang Mai temple titles.
