{"id":13727,"date":"2025-12-10T17:49:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T12:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/?p=13727"},"modified":"2025-12-10T17:49:21","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T12:19:21","slug":"iffi-closes-international-section-on-a-high-with-thailands-surreal-gem-a-useful-ghost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/?p=13727","title":{"rendered":"IFFI Closes International Section on a High with Thailand\u2019s Surreal Gem \u2018A Useful Ghost\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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IFFI Closes International Section on a High with Thailand\u2019s Surreal Gem \u2018A Useful Ghost\u2019<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n


\nWhen Love Returns as a Vacuum Cleaner: The Making of a Whimsical Supernatural Tale<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Director Ratchapoom and Team Break Down the Film\u2019s Visual Playfulness and Emotional Core<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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#IFFIWood, 28 November 2025<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The International Section at IFFI could not have asked for a more memorable finale. The team behind \u2018A Useful Ghost\u2019, Thailand\u2019s official Oscar entry and the Grand Prix winner at Cannes, brought with them a rare mix of whimsy, melancholy, social commentary and humour, mirroring the tone of their celebrated film, to the press conference today.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, Associate Producer Tanade Amornpiyalerk, Actor Wisarut Homhuan, and Cinematographer Song Pasit took the stage to unpack the strange, tender universe of a story where a grieving husband finds his deceased wife reincarnated\u2026 in a vacuum cleaner.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWho knew a crazy idea could travel so far?\u201d \u2014 Ratchapoom<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Reflecting on the film\u2019s global journey, director Ratchapoom shared his disbelief and joy:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWho would have thought such a film with such a crazy idea could travel so far and reach so many people?\u201d He revealed that the film initially began with a more traditional depiction of a ghost, appearing in human form. But the idea felt familiar, insufficiently inventive. That was when he embraced the unexpected: a ghost reborn as a vacuum cleaner.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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This quirky choice, he explained, was deeply symbolic. \u201cDust pollution, a very real issue in Thailand, claims the life of the protagonist in the film and the vacuum cleaner becomes a poetic response to the cause of her death.\u201d Ratchapoom also shared that he spent considerable time studying ghost portrayals worldwide, from those that use heavy makeup to subtle invisible presences, ultimately gravitating towards something stranger, quieter, and more intimate. The decision introduced unexpected sci-fi elements, something he playfully admitted was not part of any conscious plan.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be afraid not to be cinematic\u201d \u2014 Cinematographer Song Pasit<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Cinematographer Song Pasit described the film\u2019s visual language as a deliberate dance between seriousness and silliness. \u201cOur guiding thought was \u2018don\u2019t be afraid not to be cinematic\u2019,\u201d he said.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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He revealed that the team embraced odd angles, playful compositions, and bold colours, especially red, a hue the director insisted should stay vivid. The goal was to immerse audiences in a world that is funny, mysterious and ever-so-slightly off-centre.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Talking Thailand\u2019s Film Landscape<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Associate Producer Tanade Amornpiyalerk shed light on the behind-the-scenes world of Thai cinema. He noted that while a fresh wave of new filmmakers is emerging, the industry still releases only around 30 films a year in theatres, a fluctuating ecosystem heavily dominated by Hollywood titles.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Ratchapoom added that genre diversity remains limited, and although films can be \u201cpure entertainment,\u201d he personally believes cinema should have something to say.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis role changed things for me\u201d \u2014 Actor Wisarut Homhuan<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

For actor Wisarut Homhuan, A Useful Ghost was both challenging and career-defining. \u201cBeing an actor in Thailand is difficult,\u201d he admitted. \u201cI\u2019ve worked across TV, TikTok, everywhere. There aren\u2019t many opportunities. This film was a big pathway for me, something that finally allowed people to recognise me as a film actor.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Together, the team described \u2018A Useful Ghost\u2019 as a film that thrives on contradictions, a story that is humorous yet haunting, fantastical yet rooted in real environmental issues, and touching without ever losing its eccentric spirit.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As the press meet wrapped up, it was clear why the film has captured global attention: it dares to be strange, sincere and socially resonant, all at once. And in doing so, it gave IFFI\u2019s International Section a closing note that was both delightful and unforgettable.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Trailer:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n