Thailand’s Oscar Entry ‘A Useful Ghost’ Sells to Key International Territories Ahead of North American Premiere at Toronto (EXCLUSIVE)
Thailand’s Oscar entry “A Useful Ghost,” Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s debut feature which is having its North American premiere at Toronto, has sold to a raft of territories for Brussels-based company Best Friend Forever.
The film bowed at Cannes Critics’ Week this year and won the Grand Prize. Best Friend Forever has closed deals for HBO Europe (Eastern and Central Europe), Latin America (Gluon), Japan (Sundae), Germany & Austria (Little Dream Pictures), Benelux (Vedette Film), Spain (YouPlanet), Iceland (Bio Paradis), Greece (Neo Films), Portugal (Motelx), Hungaria (Cinefil), Taiwan (Filmware International), Indonesia (Falcon Pictures), Vietnam (June Contents) and to Eagle International for Airlines. U.K., Scandinavia, South Korea and Australia, among other territories, are in discussions.
“A Useful Ghost” earned stellar reviews at Cannes, and has already sold to Cineverse for North American distribution and JHR Films for France.
The film tells the story of March, who is mourning his wife Nat after she dies due to dust pollution. When he discovers that her spirit has unexpectedly returned in the form of a vacuum cleaner, he embrasses it and the pair form an unconventional human-ghost love story. But March’s family, which has seen their factory turned upside down by the ghost of a former employee, rejects the relationship. Eager to convince the family of her and March’s love, Nat sets off to become a useful ghost and offers to cleanse the factory.
Boonbunchachoke previously earned strong reviews with his short film “Red Aninsri; Or, Tiptoeing on the Still Trembling Berlin Wall” which premiered at Locarno in 2020. Speaking about “A Useful Ghost,” the helmer said his film “does not try to frighten or scare the audiences, instead it provokes them to think about the relationship between human and ghost in our society.”
“A Useful Ghost” is led by a well-known Thai cast, including Davika Hoorne (“Pee Mak”), Apasiri Nitibhon And Wisarut Himmarat. It’s produced By 185 Films (“Morte Cucina”), Haut Les Mains (“Where The Wind Comes From”) And Momo Film Co (“Don’t Cry, Butterfly”).
Best Friend Forever’s fall lineup is headlined by Toronto films such as “Egghead Republic” directed by Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja, and “To The Victory!” by Valentyn Vasyanovych which competes in the Platform section.
The film bowed at Cannes Critics’ Week this year and won the Grand Prize. Best Friend Forever has closed deals for HBO Europe (Eastern and Central Europe), Latin America (Gluon), Japan (Sundae), Germany & Austria (Little Dream Pictures), Benelux (Vedette Film), Spain (YouPlanet), Iceland (Bio Paradis), Greece (Neo Films), Portugal (Motelx), Hungaria (Cinefil), Taiwan (Filmware International), Indonesia (Falcon Pictures), Vietnam (June Contents) and to Eagle International for Airlines. U.K., Scandinavia, South Korea and Australia, among other territories, are in discussions.
“A Useful Ghost” earned stellar reviews at Cannes, and has already sold to Cineverse for North American distribution and JHR Films for France.
The film tells the story of March, who is mourning his wife Nat after she dies due to dust pollution. When he discovers that her spirit has unexpectedly returned in the form of a vacuum cleaner, he embrasses it and the pair form an unconventional human-ghost love story. But March’s family, which has seen their factory turned upside down by the ghost of a former employee, rejects the relationship. Eager to convince the family of her and March’s love, Nat sets off to become a useful ghost and offers to cleanse the factory.
Boonbunchachoke previously earned strong reviews with his short film “Red Aninsri; Or, Tiptoeing on the Still Trembling Berlin Wall” which premiered at Locarno in 2020. Speaking about “A Useful Ghost,” the helmer said his film “does not try to frighten or scare the audiences, instead it provokes them to think about the relationship between human and ghost in our society.”
“A Useful Ghost” is led by a well-known Thai cast, including Davika Hoorne (“Pee Mak”), Apasiri Nitibhon And Wisarut Himmarat. It’s produced By 185 Films (“Morte Cucina”), Haut Les Mains (“Where The Wind Comes From”) And Momo Film Co (“Don’t Cry, Butterfly”).
Best Friend Forever’s fall lineup is headlined by Toronto films such as “Egghead Republic” directed by Pella Kågerman and Hugo Lilja, and “To The Victory!” by Valentyn Vasyanovych which competes in the Platform section.