The Overture ( or Hom rong) is a 2004 Thai tragic-nostalgia music-drama film. The film is a fictionalised account based on the life story of Thai palace musician Luang Pradit Phairoh (Sorn Silapabanleng), which follows the life of a Thai classical musician from the late 19th century to the 1940s. The film was the winner of several awards in Thailand and was the country's official selection for the 77th Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It was directed by Itthisoontorn Vichailak, who also co-wrote the script. Producers included Nonzee Nimibutr and Chatrichalerm Yukol. The film was credited with a revival in the popularity of piphat – Thai classical music. In 2015, this film was remade into a musical play, which ran from the 4th of April to 17 May at KBank Siam Pic-Ganesha Theatre.

Plot

The story begins in the 1940s, with the Sorn recounting the tale of his childhood in 1880s Siam, during the reign of King Chulalongkorn.