It made waves at Cannes, but Thailand’s cinemagoers still haven’t had a chance to check out “A Useful Ghost,” which will receive its theatrical release next week. However, that hasn’t stopped Thailand’s film authorities from picking this movie for an Oscar entry. 

 

The National Film Association of Thailand announced their pick yesterday for the international feature film category at the 98th Academy Awards, choosing this pre-release film from Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke.

 

Thailand has been entering a film for best international feature for 41 years now (every year since 1984), and not a single one has ever been nominated–despite high hopes last year for the barnburner tearjerker “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.”

 

The dark satirical comedy “A Useful Ghost” follows leading man March, played by Witsarut Himmarat, who is mourning the death of his wife Nat, played by Davika Hoorne, who dies from PM2.5 pollution in Bangkok–a problem we’ll all be having in a few months. 

 

Nat’s soul returns to possess a vacuum cleaner, and an odd but touching human-vacuum cleaner relationship ensues with commentary on everything from technology and family to pollution. And it's not just the story, this film has been hailed by critics for creative camera work and direction. 

 

This is an important showing from Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, this being his very first feature film. While still unknown to cinemagoers in Bangkok, this darkly funny and prescient film took home the Critics’ Week Gran Prix at the Cannes Film Festival in May of this year and was nominated for the Caméra d'Or.