Dorm (film)

Lore & Background

The film was co-written and directed by Songyos Sugmakanan, one of the six directors of the 2003 Thai film Fan Chan, which also starred Charlie Trairat. The plot centers on Ton Chatree, a boy sent to boarding school by his father, who struggles with loneliness and fear after hearing ghost stories about a drowned boy and a pregnant suicide. Ton befriends Vichien, only to discover Vichien is the ghost of the drowned boy, whose death repeats nightly. Ton helps Vichien find peace, while the school administrator Ms. Pranee wrongly believes Vichien's death was suicide and her fault; Ton later reveals it was an accident.

Reader's Guide

Dorm was a significant film in Thai cinema, winning more honors than any other film in Thailand, including best picture from the Bangkok Critics Assembly. It received international recognition, winning the Crystal Bear Award at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival and the Crystal Simorgh for best director at the Fajr International Film Festival. Critics praised the performances of child actors and Chintara Sukapatana, as well as the color-drained photography and production design. The film was the No. 1 box office hit in Thailand during its opening weekend, earning nearly US$544,000, and was screened at festivals including the Bangkok International Film Festival and Pusan International Film Festival.

Did You Know?

• The film was screened at the 2006 Bangkok International Film Festival.
• It won the Crystal Bear Award at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival.
• Charlie Trairat, who played Ton, also starred in the 2003 Thai film Fan Chan.
• The film earned nearly US$544,000 in its opening weekend in Thailand.