Apichatpong Weerasethakul is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, film producer and Professor at Tama Art University in Tokyo. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, Apichatpong has directed several features and dozens of short films. Friends and fans sometimes refer to him as "Joe".

The 55th Cannes Film Festival started on 15 May and ran until 26 May 2002. The Palme d'Or went to The Pianist, directed by Roman Polanski.