A Useful Ghost" Secures Grand Prize, Ending Thai Cinema's Drought

It's a landmark moment for Thai cinema. After nearly a decade in the shadows, "A Useful Ghost" (Phee Chai Dai Kha) has triumphed at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. This groundbreaking debut feature by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke secured the Grand Prize Award from Critics' Week, ending Thailand's long drought at Cannes since Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Cemetery of Splendour in 2015.

The jury lauded "A Useful Ghost" as an "audacious, free piece of work, impossible to classify." They praised the film's ability to toy with genres, distort rules, and offer a vision that is both intimate and universal. The statement highlighted its unique voice—funny, political, and deeply human—and its courageous defiance of censorship. Every frame, they noted, was a deliberate choice, a testament to the film's precise, light, and courageous execution. The jury expressed their surprise, movement, and emotional impact, concluding that the film's rare blend of humor, melancholy, and masterful cinema deserved their highest commendation.

A Fresh Spin on Thai Cinematic Identity

The world premiere of "A Useful Ghost" at Critics' Week (Semaine de la Critique) in May 2025 marked a creative peak for Thailand at Cannes. Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke's film is a supernatural satire that skillfully blends humor, horror, and heartfelt social critique, offering a fresh perspective on Thailand’s cinematic identity.

The film stars Davika Hoorne, a beloved Thai celebrity with 18 million Instagram followers, alongside indie actor Wanlop Rungkumjad (Manta Ray). Their unexpected chemistry drives a story about a ghost who refuses to depart, hinting at something more she still has to offer. In the film, Davika's character, Nat, returns from the dead to haunt a vacuum cleaner, aiming to comfort her husband, March, after she dies from air pollution.

A Decade-Long Journey to Global Recognition

According to lead producer Cattleya Paosrijaroen, the film's journey spanned nearly 10 years, supported by global talent and funding from France (via CNC), Singapore, and Thailand. French co-producer Karim Aïtouna and Singapore’s Tan Si En contributed vital creative elements, from VFX to set design. The production involved international collaborators such as Haut les Mains (France), Momo Film Co (Singapore), and Mayana Films (Germany), with additional support from Kliff Capital, Cinema22, N8, New Narratives, and TSixtySix. Global production funds came from Open Doors (Switzerland), the International Co-production Fund (IMDA, Singapore), Aide aux cinémas du monde (France), Hubert Bals Fund+Europe (Netherlands), and World Cinema Fund (Germany), along with post-production support from THACCA under Thailand’s Ministry of Culture.

Shot across Bangkok and regional Thailand, the film utilizes surreal real-world locations, including an appliance testing facility, to construct its ghostly universe. Beyond its comedic and horror elements, "A Useful Ghost" also serves as a meditation on sweeping unpleasant political events under the carpet. The narrative delves into March’s unconventional human-ghost relationship, as Nat strives to prove their love and coexistence are real by helping rid his mother's factory of other "useless ghosts," thus proving her own utility.

With JHR Films handling French distribution, "A Useful Ghost" heralds the arrival of a new wave of Thai cinema: genre-bending, globally relevant, and profoundly original. The film is also nominated for the Camera d'Or for best first feature, the FIPRESCI Prize from the International Federation of Film Critics, and the Queer Palm, with all winners to be announced on Saturday, May 24.

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