EXCLUSIVE: Thai dark-comedy A Useful Ghost, which won the Critics’ Week Grand Prize at Cannes, has been picked up by Cineverse for North America.
The deal marks a rare foray into foreign-language content for Terrifier outfit Cineverse, which is lining up a theatrical run for the movie at a later date.
A Useful Ghost tells the story of Nat, a woman who dies from dust pollution and returns to her husband March—reincarnated as a vacuum cleaner. Their love is reignited in the most unlikely form, but not everyone welcomes her return—especially March’s family, still unsettled by a ghostly presence that appeared after a factory worker’s death forced their business to close.
The film stars Thai star Davika Hoorne alongside Witsarut Himmarat, Apasiri Nitibhon, Wanlop Rungkumjud, and Wisarut Homhuan. Emerging Thai writer-director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke makes his feature debut.
The feature is produced by Cattleya Paosrijaroen and Soros Sukhum at Bangkok-based 185 Films, whose credits include Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Memoria and Kristen Tan’s Pop Aye. Also producing are Haut Les Mains Productions (France), Momo Film Co (Singapore) and Mayana Fims Germany.
“What makes A Useful Ghost such a singular thrill isn’t just its wickedly inventive premise, but the remarkable control and tonal dexterity with which Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke — astonishingly, in his feature debut — brings it to life,” says Eric Rowe, Executive Director of Programming at Cineverse.
“With rare wit and emotional clarity, Boonbunchachoke crafts a sharp, blackly comic satire that repurposes the ghost story trope into a playful yet pointed meditation on love, labor,, and the absurdity of never being allowed to rest”.
The producers of the film said: “We are delighted to entrust U.S. and Canadian distribution to a company with Cineverse’s scale and reputation. We are confident that Cineverse is the ideal partner to amplify the film’s overwhelmingly positive reception from the Western press — particularly in the United States — and to build on that momentum by introducing the film to North American audiences in a way that celebrates its critical acclaim and ensures its artistic and cultural impact resonates widely”.
Belgian outfit Best Friend Forever is handling international sales.
Upcoming releases for Cineverse include The Toxic Avenger (August 29, 2025), Silent Night, Deadly Night (December 12, 2025), Return to Silent Hill (January 23, 2026), and Wolf Creek: Legacy (2026) as well as 2025 releases Escape from the 21st Century, Lesbian Space Princess, and The Things You Kill.
