News

Osaka Asian Film Festival (Oaff) today announces the rest of its program with an additional 54 entries. This includes 11 titles in the Competition section, 11 titles in the Spotlight section and 20 titles in the Indie Forum section. With the previously-announced 12 works, 66 features and shorts in total – 22 World, 5 International, 3 Asian, 22 Japan Premieres – will be screened at the 21st edition of Oaff, which will be held for the first time over the summer, from August 29 – September 7, 2025.

Competition

The 11 titles selected for Oaff’s Competition section are all in the running for the Grand Prix and the field is wide open due to the eclectic mix of stories and styles on offer. From crowd-pleasers to quirky horror romances and noirish mysteries, there’s something for everyone.

Themes of womanhood and connections between mothers and children are prominent in nearly all of the films, especially the works from Mainland China include Lilly Hu’s 1 Girl Infinite,...

Watching too many movies like “The Red Envelope” feels like overindulging in junk food. It is junk food, nonetheless, but it is the kind of slapstick comedy of errors, and to some extent, terrors, that occasionally bring a broad smile to the viewer’s face.

The Red Envelope is screening at New York Asian Film Festival

The horror comedy genre has gained traction globally, especially with films like ‘Zombieland’ in the West. The genre has made its way well within Asia as well. This is also a light-hearted comedy with high farce, mildly progressive messaging, broad humour and slapstick gags, which also happens to have a ghost. The ghost element, though, is played almost always for laughs, and there is never a spine-tingling moment here. But the laughs are effective, and the visual effects, barring a few places, are mostly not jarring. The supernatural element is something which, if you suspend disbelief,...

On its surface, “The Red Envelope” might seem like a silly supernatural rom-com sprinkled with Thai lore, but underneath its fun disposition lies a sentimental drama about identity, redemption, unspoken love, and the stories we carry that keep us paralyzed, even after death. Directed by Chayanop Boonprakob, the film strikes a delicate balance between campy and cathartic, a feat that is no small accomplishment and appears to be a rarity: a ghost story that is more about healing than haunting.

Spoilers Ahead

The Red Envelope Plot Summary and Movie Synopsis: Why Does Titi’s Spirit Refuse to Move On?

Titi, a young, queer man, dies in a hit-and-run, leaving behind not just a grieving family but a spirit stuck in limbo. His grandmother, plagued by dreams of his suffering, consults a shaman who suggests a ghost wedding, a traditional rite where the soul of the deceased is spiritually married off to help them reincarnate.

Directed by Chayanop Boonprakob, The Red Envelope is a sweet and entertaining story about a boy named Titi, whose spirit had been wandering in the mortal world because he had unfinished business to complete there. Titi’s grandmother took it upon herself to find a way to help Titi’s soul move on to the next life. So let’s find out what happened in the film, and if Titi was able to get reincarnated.

Spoiler Alert

How did Menn get married to Titi’s ghost?

After Titi’s untimely demise, his grandmother used to have nightmares where she saw her grandson dying a painful death. She wanted to get rid of those nightmares, and so she went to a shaman to ask him about what could be done. The shaman said that, because her grandson had been hit by a car and had died in the most tragic manner,...

Exclusive: Thai director Baz Poonpiriya has reunited with Bad Genius producer Vanridee Pongsittisak on Gohan, an upcoming feature about a stray dog that marks the debut project from Gdh 559’s new joint venture Bask.

The feelgood drama is about the bond between a dog named Gohan as it moves through life with temporary owners over a decade.

Baz is directing the Thai feature along with two rising directors: Chayanop Boonprakob, whose credits include Friend Zone, SuckSeed and recent release The Red Envelope; and Atta Hemwadee, whose feature debut Not Friends was produced by Baz.

”Gohan is a film about...

Thailand’s Gdh 559 has closed a raft of deals throughout Asia for The Red Envelope, starring Putthipong Assaratanakul (aka Billkin) of box office hit How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.

The supernatural comedy has been acquired by Malaysia-based Jaikon Media for the Philippines, where it will open on April 9; Myanmar (April 17), Australia and New Zealand (May 15)

It has also been picked up by Westec Media for Cambodia (April 10) and Golden Village for Singapore (April 24) as well as Indonesia (Pt Falcon), Hong Kong and Macau (Emperor Motion Pictures), where dates of release have yet to be set.

The film is...

Thai production powerhouse Gdh 559 is to launch sales of The Red Envelope, a local remake of Taiwanese blockbuster Marry My Dead Body, starring Billkin Putthipong Assaratanakul from blockbuster How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies and Pp Krit Amnuaydechkorn.

A first look at Billkin and Pp in the film can be seen above.

The upcoming feature is produced by Banjong Pisanthanakun, director of 2021 horror The Medium, who first saw the original Taiwanese film at the Hong Kong International Film Festival last year. It will be directed by Chayanop Boonprakob.

“After seeing the film, an idea for a Thai remake starring...

The company’s Bad Genius was a surprise hit in China in 2017.

Thailand’s Gdh 559 has closed a raft of territory deals for its latest box-office hit Friend Zone, which Maoyan Entertainment has acquired for China, Edko Films for Hong Kong and Macau, and Westec Media for Cambodia.

It’s the company’s third film in a row heading for China. Bad Genius, which sold to Hengye Pictures, became a surprise hit in 2017 with $45m at the Chinese box office, while Brother Of The Year, which Huayi Brothers bought, opened on March 15.

The new sales come after earlier unannounced deals...

Exclusive: Suspense thriller sells to Malaysia and Vietnam in slew of distribution deals.

Thailand’s Gdh 559 has scored a raft of deals at Filmart for Bad Genius, including Westec Media (Cambodia), Golden Village (Singapore), Pt Inter Solusindo (Indonesia), Suraya Filem (Malaysia) and Galaxy (Vietnam).

The suspense thriller, which opens locally in May, is Gdh’s first release of this year. The film was directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya, whose credits include Countdown [pictured].

The company has also sold A Gift to Orange Sky Golden Harvest for Hong Kong and Bees Factory for Taiwan.

Released in December, the feel-good comedy omnibus is directed by Jira Maligool, Nithiwat Tharatorn, Chayanop Boonprakob and Kriangkrai Wachirathamporn.

Thai production house Gdh 559 is launching its inaugural slate with Banjong Pisanthanakun’s anticipated romance.

Banjong Pisanthanakun’s One Day is set to open on Sept 1 as the first title from the debut slate of new Thai production house Gdh 559, following the breakup of Gmm Tai Hub (Gth) last year.

The highly-anticipated romance film reunites Banjong with his leading man and co-screenwriter Chantavit “Ter” Dhanasevi (Hello Stranger).

The story follows Ter’s character who risks everything to be with his dream girl for just one day by pretending to be her boyfriend after she suffers temporary memory loss.

TV actress Nittha “Mew” Jirayungyurn makes her big screen debut in the film, which was mainly shot on location in Hokkaido, Japan.

Another upcoming Gdh title is New Year’s Gift, which is scheduled for release on Dec 1. The feel-good romantic drama is a three-part omnibus directed by Jira Maligool (The Tin Mine), Nithiwat Tharatorn (The Teacher’s Diary...