Laos ranks highly on Transparency International's corruption index. It is a society where money speaks, and it is no coincidence that one of the main characters in the film - a middle-aged man from a rural background - is a mute.
The "Lao New Wave" group say they are not political - but they hope to get people talking about these issues.
"If five people or 10 people are aware, it's better than nobody caring, right?" Keola asks.
The violence of At the Horizon might be small fry compared to the directors who inspired Keola - he cites David Fincher, Michael Mann and David Cronenberg as his main influences - but many were left shaken by the film.