A mysterious smoke spreads through the mountains, and people begin to suffer from a strange disease that leaves their skin seemingly scorched by fire. Under the pretext of containing the outbreak, the Thai government forcibly relocates the Karen villagers living in the highlands and burns their homes to the ground. When news arrives that a man has been captured in the restricted area, Aeva becomes convinced that he is her missing husband. Following Manta Ray (2018) and Morrison (2023), inspired respectively by the refugee issue and the legacy of the American military, Phuttiphong Aroonpheng turns his gaze to those marginalized within Thai society. The Burning Giants is a symbolic allegory that examines the alienation and wounds of people who are denied a voice and forced to abandon their own identities, within narratives inscribed by the perspectives of victors and those in power. In the film’s latter half, the story takes a striking turn through a magical masked performance of Ramakien - the Thai adaptation of the Hindu epic Ramayana - opening the door to yet another story waiting to unfold. (BOO Kyunghwan)