RAHTREE: FLOWER OF THE NIGHT (BUPPHA RAHTREE) Asian New Classics

What begins as a poignant tale of romantic yearning and loss unexpectedly morphs into a wild melange of supernatural horror and crazed comedy in the latest from genre-hopping director Yuthlert Sippapak (KILLER TATTOO).

Shy university student Buppah Rahtree has suffered abuse by a family member for years. So when a rich and handsome playboy begins courting her, she eventually succumbs to his persuasive charms. But when she becomes pregnant, he promptly abandons her. Under pressure from his parents, Buppah agrees to on abortion that goes horribly wrong. The shy student is transformed into a ghost bent on revenge, while being terrifyingly uncooperative with a hilarious succession of would-be exorcists.

Blood-soaked bump-in-the-night thrills vie with belly laughs as the body count mounts. Yet it’s writer/director Yuthlert Sippapak’s affection for and understanding of Buppah that makes the audience root for this most unlikely of heroines.