How The Cursed Land, a new horror film on Thai Muslim culture, challenges typical media portrayals and lays bare Thailand’s social and political tensions

The provinces have long maintained a dangerous reputation because of the separatist unrest that has affected the area since 1948. The unrest escalated into acts of terrorism in the 2000s, including car bombs, in both the south and the Thai capital, Bangkok.

Panu and Kong, who are both Thai Muslims and grew up in the capital – making them “different from Muslims in other parts of Thailand”, Panu says – have collaborated many times since 2006, producing documentaries including In Between (2006), The Convert (2008), Baby Arabia (2010), and Gaddafi (2014).

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They see their work as “a means to delve into our unique identity, challenging the prevalent external media portrayal that often oversimplifies the multifaceted nature of Muslims”, Panu says.

They chose the horror genre for their debut feature for two…