
Three nights of film frights kick off today
Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and the Thailand Creative Culture Agency, this first horror festival is staged by Wizard Production, Bison Idea, Bangkok Open Air (Krungthep Klang Plang), Thai Film Director Association and Documentary Club.
Here is the line-up of spooky films.
July 4
5.30pm – concert by Once Dogs
6pm – opening ceremony
6.30pm – screening of two new short films
The Hystelity Show (10 minutes 51 seconds), directed by Worapop Nittayanun, is a psychological drama of two emcees in a kids' show who gradually reveal their gruesome truth.
Phuphaman (28 minutes 53 seconds), directed by Netipong Singha, follows Oab who encounters mystery upon his return from Bangkok to Khon Kaen after the passing of his mother.
8pm – talk with Sophon "Jim" Sakdaphisit, director of Coming Soon.
8.30pm – screening of Coming Soon (1 hour 35 minutes), which follows a projectionist haunted by a ghostly terror following a screening of a film that features the lynching of a woman.
10pm –screening of Smile (1 hour 55 minutes), which follows a psychiatrist who is pursued by an entity with a scary grin after her encounter with a patient.
July 5
5.30pm – concert by Purpeech
6.30pm – screening of two new short films
A Night With Granny (7 minutes 3 seconds), directed by Yanisa, revolves around Win who keeps vigil beside his late granny. When a black cat jumps over her coffin, mystery ensues.
On The Way … Home (30 minutes 1 second), directed by Naruepon Srimuang, follows a family that summons a spirit, but it turns to be something else.
8pm – screening of The Sisters (1 hour 35 minutes). Directed by Tiwa Moeithaisong, it follows a group of teen musicians who stay a run-down hotel outside Bangkok and encounter the spirit of a dead prostitute. They have to solve the mystery of her murder to save their own lives.
10pm – screening of Ouija (1 hour 39 minutes), a horror film that follows a group of teens who unintentionally awaken a dark power via an old Ouija board following the death of their friend.
July 6
5.30pm – concert by Poomjit
6.30pm – screening of two new short films
The Little Kerin (15 minutes 4 seconds), directed by Napassorn Busarakhamsakul, follows the namesake boy who uses an army of dolls in a face-off with a demon while waiting for his dad to return home.
Run Out Of Gas (17 minutes 15 seconds), directed by Supachai Banglueang, dramatises a revengeful encounter between a taxi driver and a passenger.
7.40pm – talk with the film crew and cast of Shutter, including Banjong "Tong" Pisanthanakun and Natthaweeranuch "Ja" Thongmee.
8.20pm – screening of Shutter (1 hour 37 minutes), which follows a couple who encounter strange events after finding a female white shadow in a photo. Their search culminates in the discovery of a dark secret.
10pm – screening of Us (2 hours 1 minute). On a serene vacation in Santa Cruz, California, a family is shocked to find that intruders look like them.
Bangkok Horror Film Festival is accessible by public transport. Taking the MRT to Sam Yot station (Exit 1) is highly recommended. Parking space is also available at Wat Saket (until 10pm) and JPARK. Follow updates at facebook.com/thaifilmdirectorpage.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Bangkok Post
14 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Blueprint for global success
The Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA) was established as a result of the success of Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), which develops cultural and entertainment content that can achieve global influence and lead to economic benefits. THACCA aims to drive Thailand's creative economy in 14 industries including film, TV series, festivals, art and sports. Recently, the THACCA organised the event "Splash Soft Power Forum" at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) to drive the economy, to push soft power strategies and collaborate with local and international organisations. At the visionary stage, the forum "Actors Without Borders: The Role of Performers in a World Where Stories Know No Boundaries" revealed experiences of two Thai performers -- Pirat "Mike" Nitipaisalkul and Nam Laks on the international stage. Pirat, better known as Mike, rose to fame as Golf Mike during his teenage years. He became an established actor in Thailand with many successful TV drama series such as Full House and Kiss Me. In 2015, he started working in China on the TV series Wu Xin: The Monster Killer and has acted in many Chinese TV series since then. In 2018, he became the first Thai actor to win the Foreign Artist of the Year Award at the Weibo Fan Festival which highlights his popularity in China. With his acting talent, Mike became a supporting actor in a 2021 Hollywood action movie The Misfits; Pierce Brosnan also starred in the film. Meanwhile, Nam Laks was a cast member in the Netflix reality TV show Bling Empire: New York in 2023. The programme presents the opulent lifestyle of Asians and Asian-Americans in New York. Nam is the daughter of Nakorn Laksanakarn, a Thai millionaire in the real estate and hospitality industries. MR Chalermchatri Yukol, chairman of the National Soft Power Development Subcommittee for film, documentaries, animation and TV series, was one of the forum speakers who talked about THACCA's policies on how to develop an ecosystem in the film and TV industry to support Thai performers. The forum kicked off when Pirat spoke about his debut in China in 2015. Pirat said it was not an easy path and he went when he could not speak the language. "The barrier for me that time was the language and cultural assumptions, but I went anyway. My first series was a wuxia Chinese show, so the language was very hard. I did not know what was going to happen. I just took the risk and it was worth it because that led me to more projects in China, more fame and I got to be in a Hollywood film. An actor needs to set goals which makes them realise what they are doing it for. I enjoy working in China. To be honest, the system is better than in Thailand," said Pirat. Unlike Pirat, Nam was not in films. She revealed that she became a cast member of Bling Empire: New York because a friend introduced her to a scout. "I was studying in New York at the time. My friends were friends with the scout who was looking for cast members for the reality TV series. They hooked us up and there were interviews and auditions. It was a very long process and I think I was kind of lucky," explained Nam. Although called a reality show, viewers wondered whether it was scripted or not. "It was unscripted, but at the end of the day, a TV show is a TV show. There was a lot of improvisation. They kept the cameras rolling until they got what they wanted. If they did not get what they wanted, they would stop and moved on to something else. It was an interesting experience, but at this point, I prefer to transition into a fictional character rather than perform in a reality show." said Nam. There are only a few Thai actors who have made it to international TV series and films. Chalermchatri admitted that it is difficult for Thai actors to achieve international success because the Thai film and TV industry does not have adequate infrastructure to support actors on international platforms. "I attend an event in Singapore almost every year. Last year, I found that Indonesian, Filipino, Singaporean and Taiwanese actors are very good. They have good posture and speak three or four languages. Thus, they are able to match with other production houses. They have been in the industry long enough that they can land a job in other places besides their own country," said Chalermchatri. "However, Thailand does not have companies, agents and talent managers. We do not have the needed infrastructure for actors such as publicists, law firms and entertainment lawyers. These people are vital in helping propel an actor abroad. This is sad and we need to change." Pirat revealed that he enjoyed working in China more than Thailand because China provides structural support. "When I work in Chinese and Hollywood films, I do not feel as tired as when I film in Thailand. In Thailand, I used to work until 4am and at 6am they called me up again. In China and Hollywood, we only work 10 hours or 12 hours a day or eight hours some days because they have a budget. Therefore, actors do not feel tired and we can focus more on the acting, script and production. In Thailand, if I ask for a trailer, they will think I am high maintenance. However, I require it because it helps to have a quiet place to focus on the script and be ready for the next scene." As a cast member who worked in an international environment, Nam said there was someone to take care of her individually. "They asked for your opinion. They would push you, but they would respect your boundaries. There was someone that you could go to and they would speak to the director or the producers for you." Chalermchatri, who also has a role as a TV series director, said that he is working on a show and they film 12 hours rather than 16, so they have at least a turnaround of 12 hours. Moreover, he said it would take time for people to understand about reducing workload because crew members have to change their mindset. "It is a work in progress. Within three to five years, I think people will see a big transition from trying to push things very hard 24 hours a day, seven days a week until health becomes a concern. It doesn't come by just having a good mindset. It also needs regulations and education. The education system needs to change, so that people who study in film schools can provide this support," said Chalermchatri. "Additionally, we need to train more people. If we need someone to take care of actors and/or cast members one on one, this means we need to train more people to be able to support them. We also need to build ecosystems. We should have a competitive market, so that movie ticket prices go down. The production can reach out instead of having only one or two companies set their own ticket prices. We have to look at the big picture, so we can start to strategise and proceed step by step. Things are still in progress, because it is not like one size fits all. There will be many solutions, new policies and many changes. We hope to show how we can transform the industry and hope people follow us on

Bangkok Post
17-07-2025
- Bangkok Post
Cambodia Unesco claims denied
The Ministry of Culture has denied claims that Cambodia secretly included 22 Thai literary works in its submission to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) for intangible cultural heritage recognition. In response to a wave of public criticism sparked by social media posts, the ministry issued a detailed clarification on Tuesday. It said Cambodia had not submitted any Thai literary works for registration. Instead, Phnom Penh had proposed The Royal Ballet of Cambodia, an ancient Cambodian performance art, which Unesco listed as an intangible cultural heritage item of humanity in 2003. The ministry also cited Unesco's 2003 convention, which defines intangible cultural heritage across five domains -- oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, knowledge of nature, and traditional craftsmanship. Literature does not fall within these categories.

Bangkok Post
11-07-2025
- Bangkok Post
Korean Literature Translation Awards seeks entries
The 56th Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards is now open for entries. Translators from around the world are invited to submit English editions of contemporary Korean literature before the end of August. Since 1970, The Korea Times has promoted the global reach of Korean literature. It seeks not only to translate acclaimed literary works but also to nurture aspiring literary translators. The annual competition calls for submissions in two categories -- fiction/drama and poetry. Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and KB Financial Group, the Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards categories are: Grand Prize in Fiction/Drama: 7 million won (around 166,000 baht) Grand Prize in Poetry: 4 million won Commendation Awards: 2 million won for both categories Kevin O'Rourke Award: 1 million won to an entry from either category Applicants may send a translation of 1) a work of fiction (a novel, novella or short story) or a play, or 2) 10 poems by the same writer. Applicants should submit only one entry in either category. Translations should be sent before Aug 31. Last year, Wingshun Pang won the Grand Prize in Fiction for translation of Kim Cho-yeop's short story Why Don't The Pilgrims Come Back, while Julie Sohn received the Grand Prize for the translation of Choi Seung-ho's poetry collection The Snowman Suicide Incident. Korea is home to a plethora of literary works. The Modern Korean Literature Translation Awards reflects Korea's push for internationalisation across diverse fields. With Han Kang's Nobel Prize in Literature 2024, Korean literature has achieved the highest international acclaim. The Vegetarian was her first novel to be translated into English. It received the International Booker Prize in 2016, which helped expand Han's readership worldwide.