Veteran Thai filmmaker Pantham Thongsang has rejoined Tifa Studios to spearhead international co-productions as Thai authorities gear up to enhance the country’s global competitiveness through soft power.
Pantham, who has 30 years of producing and directing experience, is a pioneer of international co-productions for Thailand, having produced through Tifa 2004’s Cannes award-winner Tropical Malady and 2006’s Syndromes And A Century. Both films were directed by Thai auteur Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
Pantham was most recently HBO’s country lead for original productions in Thailand and a senior executive at Thailand’s The One Enterprise public limited company, responsible for the launch of original series productions on its OTT platform OneD.
At Filmart, he is presenting two new projects from Tifa: sports film Seven Wonders, about the Thai women’s volleyball team that beat China at the 2009 Asian Women’s Volleyball Championship, and reality-TV show Summer With Buakaw about Thailand’s famous Muay Thai boxer Buakaw Banchamek.
“We aim to make quality and bigger productions and we need co-production partners to facilitate us to bring Thai content to the world,” said Pantham. “After working with local and international companies, I have a full understanding of the market dynamics. The support of the government will act as a springboard for people who are keen to co-produce with Thailand.”
Tifa Studios is a subsidiary of One Enterprise, which in turn is under GMM Grammy Public Company Limited.
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