The Paradise of Thorns

Thongkam and Sek are a devoted couple who have built a life together in rural Thailand, cultivating a durian orchard that represents years of shared labour. When Sek dies suddenly in an accident, Thongkam discovers that their union carried no legal recognition, and the land and house registered in Sek's name pass to Sek's mother, Saeng. She arrives at the property with her adopted daughter Mo and a helper named Jingna, asserting that everything on the land, including the home Thongkam shared with Sek, now belongs to her. Thongkam is left to fight for the orchard and the life he and Sek made, turning a private grief into a legal and personal struggle over the place they built.

The film is directed by Naruebet Kuno, who co-wrote the screenplay with Naron Cherdsoongnern and Karakade Norasethaporn, and it follows his earlier feature Double Me. Jeff Satur plays Thongkam, with Engfa Waraha as Mo, Seeda Puapimon as Saeng, Harit Buayoi as Jingna, Pongsakorn Mettarikanon as Sek and Nikorn Saetang as Tang. Vanridee Pongsittisak produced for GDH 559, Jor Kwang Films and Jai Studios, and the film runs 131 minutes.

Released in Thailand in August 2024, The Paradise of Thorns has drawn a comparatively small but appreciative audience: on IMDb it holds a rating of 7.6 from around 1,700 votes, and on TMDB a score of 7.7 from a few dozen votes. The two audiences broadly agree on the film's merits.