Watch the trailer for Jirassaya's She's My Best Friend:
Watch the full version of Jirassaya's debut production Welcome Home:
What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
My passion for film began in high school, when I watched My Best Friend’s Wedding. It had a profound impact on me, and that was when I first realized the power of a good film. I felt it was pretty cool to create scenarios and stories that leave an imprint on people’s thoughts. It wasn’t until much later that I imagined myself capable of making films.
What is your favorite movie?
I don’t know if it’s my favorite, but the film I’ve watched most often is Before Sunset, directed by Richard Linklater. It opened my eyes to the broader definition of what a film is. You’d normally expect a film to have a beginning, middle and end, or a conflict to drive the story forward. Before Sunset isn’t like that. It’s like observing the lives of real people, not just a scripted story. It’s basically people talking with each other, with little else happening in the background, and yet I still notice new details every time I watch it.
Why gay films?
I never intended to make lesbian films. My first film, Welcome Home, was more about family relationships, though I added a touch of my own preferences. I’ve always felt that homosexuality is a natural thing, though I never intended it to be the focal point of my work. Still, my film ended up being lauded for its portrayal of lesbian love, and it kind of became my signature. My later films were based mainly on my own relationships, where I fully intended to deliver a lesbian message.
What is your opinion about gay women in Thai society?
Thai society tries to put strict definitions on what it means to be a good and honorable woman. These values have been around so long they’re ingrained in the subconscious of most Thai people. My own relationships have been affected a lot by these values, and my films try to reflect that.
Of all your films, which is your favorite?
It would probably be my second film, Two Girls in a Badminton Court. It was a very personal script I wrote out of the blue, without any regard for flashy techniques. It won me my second White Elephant award, and was later selected to be screened at the International Women’s Film Festival in Seoul. It still blows my mind how far the film’s been able to go on its own merit.
What’s the most important trait in a good filmmaker?
Filmmakers should be more sensitive to their surroundings than normal people. They should be able to notice the little details that accompany an event, like the way someone’s eyes look when they’re waiting for the bus, or what kind of shoes people wear to work. You should also always be aware of your own thoughts and feelings towards certain things. I guess you could call it being obsessed with the details of human lives.
If you could remake any film, what would it be and what would you change?
I’d remake Ocean’s Eleven, but I’d turn all the characters into women, using only the very best of Hollywood’s A-list.
