“Cher,” a horror feature drawing on Thailand’s forest nymph folklore, has secured a place at the 2026 Tokyo Gap-Financing Market as its only Thai project. The selection follows its breakthrough at Canada’s Frontières Co-Production Market, where it became the first Thai project to be selected and to receive a top prize.

Benetone Films and Fearfolks are producing the film, with Songsak Mongkolthong directing a script by Patrick Graham. Mongkolthong’s credits include “Graveyard Horror” and “School Tales the Series,” while Graham wrote Netflix’s “Ghoul” and “Betaal.” The project centers on the Nang Mai, forest spirits that have long figured in Thai mythology and belief.

Rattanawadee “Mim” Wongthong, known for “Death Whisperer,” leads a cast that also includes Pae Arak and Weir Sukollawat, whose credits include “4 Tigers.” Cinematography will be handled by Vikash Nowlakha, who shot the two “Dhurandhar” films. According to the producers, those Indian productions together generated $330 million in worldwide box office revenue.

Mongkolthong said the film considers whether the Nang Mai might have origins that differ from the accounts taught in Thailand. In describing the story’s themes, he linked the possibility of beginning a new life to facing personal prejudice, anger and hatred, and then finding a way to move beyond those feelings.

Benetone Films CEO Rachvin Narula and COO Kulthep Narula said they had supported “Cher” from the beginning. They described it as the studio’s first tentpole and said the company’s approach differed from that of other Thai studios. Both welcomed the international attention the project had attracted at this early stage.

The Tokyo appearance extends a series of market selections for “Cher.” It previously participated in the It Project market at the Network of Asian Fantastic Films, or NAFF, held within South Korea’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, known as BIFAN. Its Frontières award followed in July.

Fearfolks CEO Hans Audric Estialbo thanked BIFAN, Frontières and TIFFCOM for providing an international platform for Thai films. He said markets such as TIFFCOM help projects gather momentum and develop a following early, something he described as a need for most successful intellectual properties.

Production is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2027, with a worldwide release planned for 2028. The Tokyo Gap-Financing Market takes place within TIFFCOM, the content market associated with the Tokyo International Film Festival.