Upcoming Thai movie Woman Bee presents a re-imagining of the Nineteen Sixties Thai novel ‘The Story of Jan Dara,’ with standard singer-actress Engfa Waraha headlining the movie because the enigmatic Woman Boonleung.
In an interview at Deadline’s Cannes studio, Waraha, alongside the movie’s co-writer and co-director Dream Thanika Jenjesda, shared that they’re excited to current a brand new adaptation of the story — which has been remade earlier than — from a feminine perspective for the primary time.
Starring in simply her second characteristic movie after field workplace hit Paradise of Thorns, Waraha mentioned, “There’s plenty of strain as a result of Paradise of Thorns was so well-received. That is my second function and I’m underneath strain to do my finest. I need to problem myself as an actor and never only a star.”
Waraha received the Greatest Actress prize on the 2025 Thailand Field Workplace Awards for her function in household drama characteristic The Paradise of Thorns.
Moreover performing, Waraha has additionally ventured into singing, showing within the seventh season of The Voice Thailand. She revealed that the late legendary Thai singer Pumpuang is her greatest singing inspiration.
On her singing profession, Waraha mentioned, “It was certainly one of my greatest goals and at any time when I acquired good alternatives, I did my finest to be the perfect I may.”
Set to start principal pictures in late-2025, Woman Bee follows Woman Boonleung, a lady unbound by the morality or energy buildings of her time and pushed by a craving for connection.
“My aim is to not be too vogue, vocal or preachy about it,” mentioned co-writer and co-director Jenjesda. “In Thailand, we’re nonetheless somewhat bit conservative, somewhat bit suppressed in these of getting male-dominated main roles.”
She named administrators Sofia Coppola and Wim Wenders amongst her filmmaking inspirations.
Woman Bee will even be co-directed by Rutaiwan Wongsirasawad (Dalah), with Julien Favre additionally onboard as co-writer. Pantham Thongsang will produce the movie.
Trying forward, Waraha has set her sights abroad too. “I would like extra alternatives at a world stage, maybe taking a job alongside a Hollywood film star or well-known worldwide stars,” mentioned Waraha. “I need to problem my English-speaking talents.”
Woman Bee is represented by Singapore-based gross sales firm Mokster Movies.
