TIFF 2025: A Useful Ghost Brings Supernatural Love Story to North America

March mourns his wife Nat, whose spirit returns in the most unexpected form in A Useful Ghost.

We haven’t had the chance to do a full breakdown of TIFF’s schedule yet, but a few highlights are already emerging. One that immediately caught our attention is A Useful Ghost, the debut feature from Bangkok-based filmmaker Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke.

The supernatural love story follows March, a man mourning his wife Nat, who has died from dust pollution. When her spirit returns by possessing a vacuum cleaner, March must navigate grief, family opposition, and a bizarre haunting. To prove that their bond transcends life and death, Nat sets out to cleanse the family’s shuttered factory—banishing “useless ghosts” in hopes of becoming a “useful” one.

A Useful Ghost will have its North American Premiere on Wednesday, September 10 at TIFF.

Boonbunchachoke first gained international recognition with his short Red Aninsri; Or, Tiptoeing on the Still Trembling Berlin Wall (Locarno 2020 Junior Jury Award). The short went on to play at Torino, FNC, and Glasgow, marking him as a filmmaker to watch. His feature debut premiered earlier this year at Cannes’ Semaine de la Critique, where it won the Cannes Critics’ Week Grand Prize.

Look for more updates on TIFF ’25 and A Useful Ghost as the festival approaches.

DIRECTED BY Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke

STARRING Davika Hoorne, Witsarut Himmarat, Apasiri Nitibhon, Wanlop Rungkumjud,

and Wisarut Homhuan

Toronto International Film Festival | Screening Schedule

Wednesday, September 10 @ 2:45 pm | Scotiabank 3

Thursday, September 11 @ 6:30 pm | Scotiabank 11

Saturday, September 13 @ 4:15 pm | Scotiabank 6