Nattawut “Baz” Boonpiraya, director of the 2017 Asian hit “Bad Genius,” has joined forces with Thailand’s leading film studio GDH559 to launch a new production company called BASK.
GDH, a subsidiary of GMM Group, is currently experiencing another wave of regional success with the comedy-drama How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies breaking box office records in Southeast Asian countries including Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines. Earlier this week, the company revealed a strong production and release slate spanning the next year.
BASK, headed by GDH producer Vanridi Pongsittisak, says it will work alongside top producers in the US to bring a fresh perspective on Thai and Asian culture to a global audience.
“My goal is to be the international voice that speaks louder,” said Bonbiria. “With a louder, more authentic voice, it means I can speak for more people and to more people.”
“Not only will we bring to the world a variety of genres and narratives that we aim to explore, but we are also committed to empowering voices that have been overlooked but are very passionate. We want to give them a platform to share their personal but globally resonant stories on screen,” said Pongsittisak.
The new company will develop, finance and produce joint projects with U.S.-based studios and producers such as Kindred Spirit’s Anita Jo (“The Farewell”) and Justin Lin (“Fast & Furious”). It will also engage in international collaborations, film festivals, online platforms and interactive media.
Following the success of Bad Genius, a thriller about exam cheating schemes, Punpiriya went on to direct One for the Road, a road trip drama shot in Thailand and New York produced by Wong Kar-wai that won the Special Jury Prize for Dramatic World Cinema at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. That same year, Punpiriya directed two episodes of Netflix’s Thai Cave Rescue. He also joined Stars Collective, a Chinese-backed talent incubator program funded by Los Angeles-based Starlight Media.
