Just in time for the Thai new year, Netflix Thailand has launched the Acclaimed Thai Films Collection, a campaign aimed at celebrating some of the country’s cinematic masterpieces throughout the five past decades.
The global streaming platform has collaborated with Thai Film Archive, the state-run agency that “collects, preserves, and gives access” to Thailand’s vast collection of audio-visual and film-related materials, for this campaign.
Netflix Thailand’s director of content Yongyoot Thongkongtoon hopes to “bring back some of the industry’s past works that reflect the talent and capabilities of Thai creators to the eyes of the Thai audience once again.” Thai Film Archive’s director Chalida Uabumrungjit adds that the campaign is a “reflection of Thai film history over the past 50 years”, allowing users to “observe the evolution of creators, actors, production styles and genres.”
A total of 19 films have been selected through a thorough process by Netflix Thailand and Thai Film Archive. These include rare finds, internationally recognized films and those with a cult following. The first batch of the Acclaimed Thai Films Collection includes:
- Santi-Vina (1954)
- Black Silk (1961)
- Thongpoon Kokpo (aka The Citizen, 1977)
- Behind the Painting (1985)
- Butterfly and Flowers (1985)
- Once Upon a Time (1995)
- Nang Nak (1999)
- 6ixtynin9 (1999)
- Bang Rajan (2000)
- The Iron Ladies (2000)
- Monrak Transistor (2001)
- Tears of the Black Tiger (2002)
- Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003)
- The Siam Renaissance (2004)
- The Tin Mine (2005)
- The Love of Siam (2007)
- Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010)
- Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy (2013)
- Manta Ray (2018)
All the films have been remastered. Yongyoot also hinted that the project is a pilot scheme by the platform, which hopes to add more Thai movies that fall into the category in the future.