Lemongrass Girl

a film by

Thailand | 17' | 02/2021 | fiction

According to Thai superstition, a virgin can ward off rain by planting lemongrass upside-down underneath an open sky. This belief remains prevalent to this day.

As clouds begin to gather, a young production manager on a film set is tasked to carry out this tradition. As her fellow female co-workers shy away from the duty, she is left with no choice but to take on the burden of becoming the lemongrass girl.

“The hybrid structure of a docufiction lets Bunsermvicha reconstitute reality to create a powerful examination of sexism and power relations on film sets.”
Square Eyes - 21_officialselection_0
Square Eyes - 2021_Doc_Fortnight_Laurel_Black-01
“The hybrid structure of a docufiction lets Bunsermvicha reconstitute reality to create a powerful examination of sexism and power relations on film sets.”
Square Eyes - 21_officialselection_0
Square Eyes - 2021_Doc_Fortnight_Laurel_Black-01

Pom Bunsermvicha

Biography

Pom Bunsermvicha (b.1993, Thailand) graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Modern Culture & Media Studies. During her semester abroad in Prague, she attended the Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) and directed her first short film 10:10. Her documentary E-po is her first work from Thailand. Her shorts have been shown at several festivals, including BFI Flare, LAAPFF, Inside Out Toronto, Hamburg International Short Film Festival and SeaShorts. Her work combines documentary elements with fiction and is driven by her interest in queer and female characters. Pom is an alumna of Tribeca Film Institute and Berlinale Talents.

Filmography

  • 10:10 – 2015
  • Graduation Speech – 2015
  • Coach – 2016
  • E-po (A Second Chance) – 2018
  • Lemongrass Girl – 2021
Square Eyes - Pom Bunsermvicha

Crew

Director: Pom Bunsermvicha
Screenplay: Anocha Suwichakornpong
Producer: Pom Bunsermvicha, Parinee Buthrasri, Anocha Suwichakornpong
Co-Producer: Noorahaya Lahtee
Cinematographer: Parinee Buthrasri, Pom Bunsermvicha
Sound Design: Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr
Editor: Aacharee Ungsriwong
Cast: Primrin Puarat

Festivals

  • International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Netherlands (1 – 7 February, 2021)
    Ammodo Tiger Short Competition
  • MoMA’s Doc Fortnight, United States (18 – 5 April, 2021)
    Official Selection
  • Las Palmas International Film Festival, Spain (9 – 18 April, 2021)
    Short Film Competition
  • True/False, United States (5 – 9 May, 2021)
    Teleported Selection
  • Hamburg Short Film Festival, Germany (1 – 7 June, 2021)
    International Competition
  • The Norwegian Short Film Festival, Norway (9 – 13 June, 2021)
    International Competition
  • Palm Springs International ShortFest, United States (22 – 28 June, 2021)
    Official Selection
  • Festival ECRÃ, Brazil (15 – 25 July, 2021)
    Official Selection
  • Seoul International Women’s Film Festival, South Korea (26 August – 1 September, 2021)
    Asian Shorts Competition
  • Silhouette Short Film Festival, France (27 August – 4 September, 2021)
    Official Selection
  • Encounters Film Festival, United Kingdom (1 – 30 September, 2021)
    Competition
  • FICBUEU International Short Film Festival, Spain (10 – 19 September, 2021)
    International Section Won: Best Cinematography
  • Camden International Film Festival, United States (16 – 26 September, 2021)
    Official Selection
  • Guanajuato International Film Festival, Mexico (17 – 26 September, 2021)
    Official Selection: Short Fiction
  • Visionär Film Festival, Germany (22 – 26 September, 2021)
    Panorama
  • Filmfest Sundsvall, Sweden (29 September – 3 October, 2021)
    International Short Film Competition
  • Bolton International Film Festival, United Kingdom (29 September – 17 October, 2021)
    Competition
  • BFI London Film Festival, United Kingdom (6 – 17 October, 2021)
    Official Selection
  • Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, Canada (6 – 17 October, 2021)
    Short Film International Competition
  • New Holland Island International Debut Film Festival, Russia (October, 2021)
    Short Film Competition Special mention
  • Cormorán Film Fest, Spain (12 – 17 October, 2021)
    Official Selection
  • Chicago International Film Festival, United States (13 – 24 October, 2021)
    Live-Action Short Film Competition
  • Women Make Waves Film Festival, Taiwan (15 – 24 October, 2021)
    Official Selection
  • Bosphorus Film Festival, Turkey (23 – 30 October, 2021)
    International Competition
  • Uppsala Short Film Festival, Sweden (25 – 31 October, 2021)
    International Competition
  • San Diego Asian Film Festival, United States (28 October – 6 November, 2021)
    Competition Won: Best International Short
  • Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival, Germany (16 – 21 November, 2021)
    Competition
  • Singapore International Film Festival, Singapore (25 November – 5 December, 2021)
    Southeast Asian Short Film Competition
  • Women in Film and Photography – Objectifs, Singapore (4 December, 2021)
  • Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival, Thailand (8 – 13 December, 2021)
    ASEAN Short Film Competition Won: Jury Prize
  • London Short Film Festival, United Kingdom (14 – 23 January, 2021)
    The Empathic Gaze
  • Hishorts! Xiamen Short Film Festival, China (12 – 21 December, 2021)
  • Calcutta International Short Film Festival, India (17 – 19 December, 2021)
    Competition

Password




Press materials

EPK: Click here

Stills, poster & director’s photo: Click here

Dialogue list: Click here

Downloadable trailer: Click here

Press Quotes

“Bunsermvicha creates a world of indifference where traditions are adopted, not because they may be inherently true, but because they are familiar. The fact people fail to question them is how they maintain their consequences, inflicting real damage on people.
Review: Lemongrass Girl – Belief in Fiction – Matthew Chan