Netflix Thailand announced a slate of four Thai films and two series yesterday at an event held at Siam Square.
'The Lost Lotteries', a heist comedy film, is the only title with a release date of Nov 16, while the rest are listed as ‘coming soon’. The other three films are 'Hunger' (working title), about a woman who leaves her family restaurant to join Thailand's number one luxury chef's table team; 'The Murderer' (working title) is a story of an Englishman accused of murdering his Thai in-laws; and 'Mon Rak Nak Pak' (working title) is about a travelling pharma-cinema troupe who spread the joy of live-dubbed movies.
Two series in the pipeline are the thought-provoking 'Delete' (working title), which explores the question ‘Who do you want to delete from your life?’ and 'Analog Squad' (working title) is about a group of misfits who are hired to play the roles of estranged family members.
According to Yongyoot Thongkongtoon, Netflix's content director for Thailand, "Thais continue to embrace local stories. When we release a local title on Netflix, it goes to the top of the most-watched charts in Thailand. 'Thai Cave Rescue' is there now, while 'Bangkok Breaking' remained on the country’s Top 10 list for five weeks last year.
"Therefore, Netflix will give more of what members love with the six upcoming titles, kicking off with 'The Lost Lotteries' by top production studio GMM Studios International on Nov 16," he added.
Perhaps one of the more interesting titles is 'The Murderer', which Yongyoot said will be Netflix's first release in the Isan dialect, starring well-loved funnyman 'Mum' Jokmok as a policeman who investigates whether a British man killed his Thai in-laws.
While these six stories were crafted especially for Thai audiences, he believes the themes of love and hope will resonate with members globally. Speaking about Netlfix as a platform for filmmakers, he said, "In the past, creators would have to do the international film circuit to drum up interest. But with Netflix streaming to more than 190 countries, it’s opened up countless opportunities. This in turn motivates creators to pitch us their best ideas and produce their best work. And we’re so proud to share these stories that we hope will excite and entertain our members, both in Thailand and globally."