Ghost of Mae Nak

Lore & Background

The film follows groom Tid Mak, whose life is disturbed by nightmares of a ghost woman, Mae Nak, from an ancient Thai legend. He and his fiancée Nak acquire an antique brooch and an abandoned house in Phra Khanong through a real estate agent named Angel. After their wedding, thieves break in and steal their gifts; when Mak chases them, he is run over and falls into a deep coma. The ghost Mae Nak protects the young couple against Angel and the burglars, but in return holds Mak's soul. Nak finds Mae Nak's remains in an ancient cemetery, and with monks, exorcises Mae Nak using the brooch, releasing her spirit.

Reader's Guide

Ghost of Mae Nak is one of many film adaptations of the famous Thai legend of Mae Nak Phra Khanong, a story beloved among Thai people. The tale has been depicted on film numerous times since the silent era, with notable versions including the 1958 film Mae Nak Pra Kanong and the 1999 internationally acclaimed Nang Nak by Nonzee Nimibutr, part of the 'Thai New Wave' cinema movement. There is also an opera, Mae Naak, by Thai composer Somtow Sucharitkul. A shrine dedicated to Mae Nak exists at Wat Mahabut in Bangkok's Suan Luang district. This 2005 version, directed by a British filmmaker, adds a modern twist to the enduring legend.

Did You Know?

• The film was directed and written by British director Mark Duffield.
• Porntip Papanai played the ghost Mae Nak.
• The story is based on an ancient Thai legend of Mae Nak Phra Khanong.
• A shrine dedicated to Mae Nak is located at Wat Mahabut in Bangkok's Suan Luang district.