Lee Thongkham shooting Thai-Vietnam horror feature ‘The Bride'

Shooting is underway on The Bride, a horror thriller directed by Lee Thongkham that has been set up as co-production between Thailand and Vietnam.

The project marks the growing presence of Vietnamese stars in Thailand’s thriving horror film industry and features cast and crew from both countries.

The Bride follows a young Vietnamese woman, played by Rima Thanh Vy, who is engaged to her rich Thai boyfriend, played by “J.J.” Krissanapoom Pibulsonggram. But her visit to his hometown in rural Thailand quickly turns to terror when she encounters the ghostly presence of a bride after trying on a traditional Thai wedding dress – an heirloom that holds sinister secrets about her fiancé’s family.

Filming will primarily take place in Thailand’s Chiang Mai and locations in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City. The film is set to be released in both countries in early 2025, with V Pictures set to release the film theatrically in Vietnam.

It is produced by Thailand’s Thongkham Films and Vietnam’s Silver Moonlight Entertainment, with world sales handled by Vietnam’s Skyline Media. The film’s producer, Hang Trinh, heads both Silver Moonlight and Skyline Media.

Thai filmmaker Lee Thongkham is known for his high-concept horror features such as Netflix Original The Maid, monster action thriller The Lake and action comedy Kitty The Killer, for which he received the Daniel A. Craft Award for Excellence in Action Cinema at the New York Asian Film Festival in 2023. He is also working on a martial arts action movie with Tony Jaa, the star of the Ong Bak franchise as well as Hollywood features Fast & Furious 7 and The Expendables 4.

Producer Trinh said: “This collaboration represents a significant milestone in Southeast Asian cinema, as the two biggest film markets shake hands.” She added that that film would “bridge the cultural gaps between our two countries and further enhances the cinematic landscape in both nations.”

The Vietnamese cast also includes Jun Vu (A Hundred Billion Key) and Cong Duong (Trang Quynh), while the Thai ensemble features “Jomjam” Karnpicha Pongpanit (RedLife), “Praew” Narupornkamol Chaisang (Master Of The House), “Pure” Duangjai Hiransri (Inhuman Kiss), and R.Nu Surasak Chaiyaat (Love Destiny).