PANAJI: IFFI’s International Section ended with a finale worth remembering. The team behind 'A Useful Ghost', Thailand’s official Oscar entry, Cannes Grand Prix winner, and the country’s Oscar submission, brought a blend of whimsy, melancholy, social commentary, and humour to a press conference today, reflecting the film’s own spirit.
Director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, Associate Producer Tanade Amornpiyalerk, Actor Wisarut Homhuan, and Cinematographer Song Pasit shared insights into the film’s unusual, emotional world where a grieving husband encounters his late wife reincarnated… in a vacuum cleaner.
“Who knew a crazy idea could travel so far?” Ratchapoom said, recalling the film’s unexpected global journey.
He explained that the project initially featured a more traditional ghost in human form, but it felt familiar and not inventive enough. That pushed him towards something stranger: a ghost reborn as a vacuum cleaner.
The idea carried a deeper meaning. “Dust pollution, a very real issue in Thailand, claims the life of the protagonist in the film,” he said, adding that “the vacuum cleaner becomes a poetic response to the cause of her death.”
Ratchapoom admitted to studying ghost portrayals worldwide, from heavy makeup to invisible presences, before deciding on something “stranger, quieter, more intimate.” The sci-fi elements, he said, arrived unintentionally and were not part of any conscious plan.
Cinematographer Song Pasit echoed the film’s philosophy through its visuals. “Don’t be afraid not to be cinematic,” he urged, calling the visual language a dance between seriousness and silliness. He mentioned that the team worked with odd angles, playful compositions, and bold colours, especially red, which the director wanted to remain vivid and expressive.
“Our guiding thought was ‘don’t be afraid not to be cinematic’,” Song said, noting that this approach helped shape the film’s off-centre tone, funny yet sincere.
Associate Producer Tanade spoke about Thailand’s film industry, describing it as an ecosystem of change but limitation. He pointed out that Thai theatres release only around 30 films a year locally, a number that fluctuates in a market dominated by Hollywood titles.
Ratchapoom added that genre diversity remains narrow. “Films can be pure entertainment,” he acknowledged, but insisted cinema should “have something to say” and leave audiences with more than just a moment.
For Wisarut Homhuan, the role marked a personal shift. “Being an actor in Thailand is difficult,” he said. “I’ve worked across TV, TikTok, everywhere. There aren’t many opportunities.” The film, he said, became a big pathway that finally earned recognition. “This role changed things for me,” Wisarut said. “It finally allowed people to recognise me as a film actor.”
Together, the team described 'A Useful Ghost' as a study in contradiction, humorous yet haunting, fantastical yet rooted in environmental reality, and touching without losing eccentric spirit.
By daring to be sincere, strange, and socially resonant at once, the film delivered a closing note that was both delightful and unforgettable, leaving IFFI’s International Section with a finale that will be talked about long after the cameras stop rolling.
