Bangjong Pisanthanakun (Thai: บรรจง ปิสัญธนะกูล) is a Thai filmmaker and screenwriter. He saw early success with his first two films, Shutter (2004) and Alone (2007), both horror films that he co-directed and co-wrote with Parkpoom Wongpoom. He also directed the 2013 comedy-horror romance film Pee Mak, which became Thailand's highest-grossing film of all time, and the 2021 horror film The Medium, which was a commercial and critical success in South Korea. In addition to horror films, Bangjong directed the romance films Hello Stranger (2010)[2] and One Day (2016).
He directed a short film, Plae Kao, which was a finalist for best picture and best screenplay in the Click Radio comedy short film competition in 2000.
He has worked as a film critic for Starpics, a popular Thai film entertainment magazine, as well as an assistant director for television commercials.
Feature films
Bangjong's first feature film, Shutter, with a story about ghost images in photographs and a haunted photographer (portrayed by Ananda Everingham), was the biggest box-office hit in Thailand that year, and also a hit in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brazil. Shutter has since been remade in three other languages, including the 2008 Hollywood film Shutter.
The two teamed up again in 2007 for Alone, which also was a box-office hit and played at many film festivals, including the 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival, where it was in competition for Best ASEAN Film. Alone has been remade in two other languages.
Bangjong's 2013 film Pee Mak became Thailand's highest grossing film of all time, and was the first Thai film to be screened in every Southeast Asian country.[3][4]
In 2021, he directed The Medium, a co-production between Thailand and South Korea. It was a commercial success in South Korea and received generally positive critical reviews.