简介：RuralTeachersisbasedonthetrueexperiencefofayoungteacherintheThaicountryside.Theidealisticprotagonist,Piya,arrivesinasmallvillagetoteachchildrenwholiveinterriblepovertyandignorance.Undaunted,theoptimisticPiyadevoteshimselffullytotheeducationofhispupils-teachingthemhowtogrowtheirownvegetables,toobservenatureandtocomprehendthejoyoflearning. However,Piya'slifeinthevillageisnotwithoutmishapsand,whenhediscoversanillegalracket,hesetsouttofindthecriminals.Piyagraduallyseesthathisroleanddutyinsocietyis"tobecomelikealifeboat,notjustforthechildren,butforallthosewhoaredrowning". RuralTeachersisSurasriPhatum'sfirstfilmandanunexpectedsuccesswhichbecameThailand'stopbox-officegrosserin1978.Fortheproductionofthisfilm,Phatumreturnedtohisnativevillageand,tosustaintheauthenticityandfidelityofthenarrative,thedirectorchosevillagechildrentoplaythepartsofPiya'spupils.PhatumhasalsopaidparticularcaretothesoundtrackofthefilmwhichisunderscoredbytraditionalThaimusic. SurasriPhatum,whoworkedasadubbingartistforforeignfeatures,failedtwiceinhisattemptstobeelectedtotheThaiParliament.Heturnedtothecinemawhenherealisedthepowerofthemediumwhichcouldreachandcommunicatetolargeandvariednumbersofthepopulation.(NancyIsrael)…