If you had imagined about "A deceased wife backed home in a form of a vacuum cleaner ghost to combat air pollution”, Thai film director Ratchapoom Boonbanchachoke’s debut film "A Useful Ghost" (ผีใช้ได้ค่ะ/ Phee Chai Dai Ka) has mentioned positively from reviewers from international festival states.
After swept the prestigious Critics’ Week Grand Prix at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, the film has continued its global victory lap, landing as Thailand’s official awards submission. We caught up with the film director in the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF 2025) to talk about his inspiration behind the success through his film.
INSTYLEASIA: Following the success and awards at the Cannes Film Festival, how do you feel about making the Asian premiere of "A Useful Ghost" at the Busan International Film Festival?
Ratchapoom: Actually, the film had its world premiere in Thailand, so this marks our Asian premiere outside home country.
Honestly, I’m exhausted (laughs), as we’ve been traveling to many film festivals around the world. Right before coming to Busan, we were at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). I only managed to take a two-night break back in Thailand before flying straight here. I feel incredibly tired, but at the same time, immensely grateful.
The Busan International Film Festival is one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals in Asia. it’s a place I’ve ever visited before. Because it serves as a major gathering point for everyone in the film industry, my friends and colleagues who worked on this project are thrilled. They can finally watch the film here, especially since many of them weren’t able to attend the previous festivals like Cannes or the others.
INSTYLEASIA: Moving away from the film for a moment, what are your top three favorite things about South Korea?
Ratchapoom: First, I absolutely love the food. Second, I really admire the urban aesthetic of both Busan and Seoul. They look incredibly modern, yet they have this exotic charm. The cities are so full of life. Whenever I travel abroad, one of my favorite things to do is just watch people walking through the city.
In Bangkok, it’s quite difficult to walk around, so I really enjoy seeing people actually vibrant and walking on the streets here. And third, I love Korean saunas (jjimjilbangs). They feel like water amusement parks, so unique and packed with fun!
INSTYLEASIA: What was the biggest challenge you faced while making "A Useful Ghost," and how did you overcome it?
Ratchapoom: Shooting wasn't the difficult part, and editing wasn't either. The real challenge was securing sponsorships and funding. Since this was our very first feature film, everything was brand new to us. For both myself and my producers, proving how we could make this project successful was incredibly tough. It took many years, and at times, I felt quite insecure. However, Khun Bee, my producer, told me that he had immense confidence in this project, even when I didn't feel that way myself.
I realized that we just had to keep pushing forward. Nowadays, there are so many young talented Thai filmmakers, but many drop out at this stage because it takes so much time, it’s like playing a long-term game that demands continuous effort. There is so much talent out there, but we just have to keep moving forward, pouring all our dedication into our work, and maintaining the self-belief that our project will ultimately succeed.
INSTYLEASIA: Now that you’ve gained recognition as a successful director both through your previous works and the international acclaim of this film, what is your next dream?
Ratchapoom: My dream is simply to be able to sustain myself within the film industry. In the past, the work that actually generated a steady income for me was scriptwriting for television series, which I still continue to do. But when it comes to directing my own films, if I can earn a living from it, that would be wonderful. The best part of that would be the ability to keep creating to have new opportunity to make a second and a third movie. Making films is the work that I am truly proud of, so my ultimate goal is just to be able to continue working as a filmmaker.
INSTYLEASIA: What are your thoughts on the representation of LGBTQ+ themes in your film, and do you believe your film effectively communicates this to the audience?
Ratchapoom: I believe there is still plenty of room to explore these themes—the market is definitely not oversaturated yet. There are still so many untapped spaces and layers where LGBTQ+ characters can be showcased. Right now, most films tend to focus on specific angles, like family dynamics or romantic love, but there are many overlooked aspects of life that LGBTQ+ characters can delve into.
While BL (Boys' Love) films have their own established genre formulas, breaking away from or twisting those conventions can be difficult when it comes to keeping fans and audiences engaged. The great thing about the BL genre is that it has done a wonderful job of normalizing same-sex relationships.
However, in terms of capturing diverse lifestyles, LGBTQ+ characters can sometimes feel stuck replaying the same loops due to certain genre limitations. If we want to see deeper, more diverse character development, we need to step outside the traditional boundaries of the BL genre. BL films certainly have their own unique value, but expanding LGBTQ+ diversity is equally essential. We need to present more than just one dimension. People often immediately think of romance, but these stories can actually expand into much more complex and richer territories.
INSTYLEASIA: What was your main inspiration for your work on this film?
Ratchapoom: My inspiration comes from reading books and watching movies. They complement each other perfectly, as people saying different art forms illuminate one another. It's exactly like that for me. Ultimately, my desire to make films comes from watching other movies and falling in love with them.
When I was younger, I actually wanted to be a writer. I was always fascinated by how authors could craft their stories and what their imaginations looked like. I remember reading a novel and thinking how incredible it was that they could create something like that. The same thing happened when I watched movies. Seeing the beautiful works of others inspired me and made me want to create something similar of my own.
INSTYLEASIA: What is the greatest lesson you have learned since becoming a film director?
Ratchapoom: Patience and learning how to wait. The best things never come quickly at the very beginning; you truly have to wait for them. If you lack patience, you might miss out on the best opportunity or the most perfect choice, simply because it hasn't arrived yet. Everything has its own potential and its own right time, so we have to be willing to wait until it unfolds. Patience is absolutely essential.
INSTYLEASIA: Outside of your film work, what else have you been wanting to do recently?
Ratchapoom: Since I also work as a scriptwriter, probably writing scripts. But honestly, recently I’ve been traveling so much with this film that I haven't had any time to focus on anything else (laughs). Every time I head back to Thailand, I only get to rest for a short while before I have to pack up and depart again. Actually i already have a concept for my second film in my head, but while I’m constantly on the move, it’s impossible to really think about it. Right now, I’m still pouring all my energy into this current film, so I can’t fully focus on the future just yet. The ideas are there, but I just can’t find the focus for them right now.
INSTYLEASIA: If you could take a time machine back to the past, what advice would you give to your younger self?
Ratchapoom: I’d probably casually tell myself, "Think very carefully if you really want to make movies."
Looking back, I wish I had been more confident when I was a child. I feel like I started filmmaking too late because I was trapped in the mindset that I couldn't do it. If I had found that confidence earlier, I might have started making films much sooner—who knows how many years faster I could have become a director. I know now that I simply lacked self-confidence back then. In reality, I was fully capable of doing it, but I allowed fear to build up before I even took the first real step.
INSTYLEASIA: How would you describe your filmmaking identity, and what sets it apart from other directors?
Ratchapoom: Whenever I make a film, I always talk to my production team about the specific mood I want to achieve. I lean toward a combination of elegance and rudeness—a mix of the beautiful and the bad, or humor paired with a raw, gritty edge within an artistic sense. I think it’s a fairly rare taste.
Typically, filmmakers who do comedy will choose lighthearted subjects. On the other hand, if they want to tackle heavy themes, they tend to make the film entirely serious. For me, telling a story in a purely heavy tone isn't that interesting. I prefer to mix mismatched elements to create something exciting. It awakens the audience, prompting them to realize that even that kind of storyline can offer an experience they’ve never encountered before.
INSTYLEASIA: What is your personal favorite scene in this film?
Ratchapoom: I really like the monk scene—it’s just a lot of fun. I also love the ending scene where Nat (the ghost) talks with Suman, her husband's mother. It’s a beautiful, poignant moment where both characters finally open their minds and let go of the heavy emotions they’ve been holding onto. It’s truly beautiful.
INSTYLEASIA: Why did you specifically choose a vacuum cleaner?
Ratchapoom: While I was developing and writing the script, I initially pictured the ghost looking like a human without makeup - with pale, ghostly skin. But when I shared this idea, people felt it wasn't unique or original; it just felt like a typical makeup-styled ghost. I kept imagining a ghost with pale, zombie-like, or even green skin, similar to the old-school, one-baht Thai ghost comic books. It was a very distinct look.
To figure out how to design our ghost, we researched film history to see how ghosts have traditionally been presented and how audiences distinguish humans from spirits. Usually, it’s through pale skin, a blurred image, or having them float because they don't have feet.
I was also drawn to 1980s American horror films where ghosts are invisible to the naked eye but communicate by manipulating domestic spaces—moving furniture, opening windows, or turning on TVs. That got me interested in the concept of a ghost occupying a piece of furniture or an appliance.
Looking back at the story, our main character, Nat, dies from a respiratory illness caused by dust. Naturally, her home would be filled with dust, and she would return attached to a vacuum cleaner. Initially, I just wanted her to inhabit an appliance, but the vacuum cleaner made perfect sense. It also fit the practical needs of filming; vacuum cleaners have wheels, making it easy to move around the set. If she had inhabited a TV or a refrigerator, it would have been much more difficult to manage.
INSTYLEASIA: In Japan, there is a strong belief in Yokai - monsters or spirits that often take the form of everyday household objects, like lanterns or umbrellas.
Since "A Useful Ghost" echoes this cultural concept of inanimate objects coming to life, it naturally connects with international audiences. Following your run in South Korea, do you have plans to screen the film in other countries, such as Japan?
Ratchapoom: My producers haven't given me a full update on the upcoming schedule yet, but the film has already secured a distributor in Japan. So, it will definitely be released there, though the exact release dates haven't been finalized. I'm not entirely sure yet if there are any specific Japanese film festivals that have invited us, but a theatrical release in Japan is 100% confirmed since the distribution company has already picked it up.
INSTYLEASIA: Could you tell us a bit about your upcoming projects?
Ratchapoom: I really want to make a new film in the adventure genre. It’s still a bit too early to share specific details right now, but my hope is to create an exciting adventure movie. Of course, I’m also hoping to secure the necessary sponsorships and funding to bring this project to life.
A Useful Ghost is currently screening at select festivals worldwide.
(Interviewer: Teerapat)
REPORT: INSTYLEASIA
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