The Promise

Abandoned skyscrapers and suicide pacts set the scene for a spooky ghost story.

Set in Bangkok, in the aftermath of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, The Promise follows the friendship of Boum (Numthip Jongrachatawiboon) and Ib (Panisara Rikulsurakan) over twenty years. As young teenagers in the late nineties, they witness the horrifying impact the market crash has on their families and daily lives, and vow to commit suicide together – however, only Ib follows through. Twenty years later, Boum is a successful property developer with a young teenage daughter, who is almost his age when the promise was made... and Ib returns to finish the pact.

Curator’s Note

In The Promise, Sophon Sakdaphisit (Laddaland) reimagines the ghost story through the lens of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.

The director channels a profound emotional depth through his female leads, whose performances resonate with intensity and vulnerability. The film skilfully intertwines traditional horror elements with a poignant exploration of friendship, loss, and guilt.

Central to the The Promise's atmosphere is its striking cinematography and meticulous set design. Scenes unfold within the Sathorn Unique Tower, an abandoned skyscraper in Bangkok; this choice of location grounds the film's supernatural elements in a tangible reality, reinforcing the harrowing intersection of personal and financial ruin.

– Laurie Fletcher, Associate Programmer