Netflix recently announced its first Isan-dialect film, The Murderer. It will premiere on July 27.
The film is set in the northeastern region of Thailand, known as Isan, and features local characters from the area. According to the makers, it will give audiences across the world a window into the region’s culture and dialect. While Isan films are usually set in the comedy genre, The Murderer, on the other hand, is a mix of murder mystery and dark comedy.
"The screenplay is full of humor and satire. It reflects our society and current circumstances, such as the media’s sensationalization of murder cases. Many cases are eerily similar and the audience desires to know the truth. This movie’s screenplay is based on people’s curiosity. When we consume media, we only see what is presented to us – we seldom know the whole truth. This movie will enlighten us on what reality is like," said director Wisit Sasanatieng.
The Murderer screenplay is written by Abishek K Bajaj. It stars Phetthai Vongkhamlao, Eisaya Hosuwan, James Laver, Sunaree Ratchasima and Sawanee Utoomma. The Murderer's synopsis reads, "On the night that a tropical storm was supposed to hit a village in Isan, a massacre unfolded at an isolated property. Several bodies, dead from various causes, were found spread out across the property, and no one knows who the killer is. As lead investigator, Inspector Nawat is under pressure to find the culprit. He directs his suspicions at Earl, an outsider, visitor, foreigner, and possibly murderer with a dark secret. Follow the Isan-style murder investigation in this wicked comedy and satire of modern culture that leads to a wholly unpredictable answer."
