‘9 Temples to Heaven’ named Thailand’s Oscar submission

**Thailand’s Oscar Entry Selected**

Bangkok – The National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations (NFMPCA) announced that the Thai film *9 Temples to Heaven* (Thai title: 9 วัดสู่สวรรค์) will represent Thailand in the Best International Feature Film category at the 99th Academy Awards.

The federation convened a selection committee comprising film directors, producers, distributors and cinema operators to evaluate eligible titles. According to the NFMPCA, 51 Thai productions met the Academy’s eligibility criteria for this year’s category, which require that a film be produced outside the United States, run longer than 40 minutes, and have a commercial theatrical run of at least seven consecutive days in its country of origin between 1 October 2025 and 30 September 2026.

From the pool of eligible titles, the committee initially shortlisted eight films:

– *9 Temples to Heaven* (9 วัดสู่สวรรค์)
– *Gohan* (โกฮัง..หัวใจโกโฮม)
– *Morte Cucina* (ครัวสาว)
– *Human Resource* (พนักงานใหม่ (โปรดรับไว้พิจารณา))
– *The Undertaker 2* (สัปเหร่อ 2)
– *4 Tigers* (เสือ)
– *Regretfully at Dawn* (อรุณกาล)
– *In the Name of Love* (อัศจรรย์วันทอง)

After further deliberations, the committee selected *9 Temples to Heaven*, directed by Sompot Chidgasornpongse, as Thailand’s official Oscar submission.

The drama follows a middle‑aged man who, after receiving a prediction that his elderly mother may die before his upcoming birthday, embarks on a one‑day pilgrimage with his mother and eight other family members to nine Buddhist temples in an effort to avert misfortune. As the journey progresses, the mother’s health declines, adding an emotional layer to the narrative. The film’s cast includes Amara Ramanarong, Surachai Ningsanon, Yanyanan Jirapattarachitrin and Yada Kanjanisakorn, most of whom are relatively unknown in the Thai film industry.

*9 Temples to Heaven* premiered internationally at the 79th Cannes Film Festival in May 2026 as part of the Directors’ Fortnight programme. It subsequently screened at several overseas festivals, earning Best Director and Best Actor awards at the Shanghai International Film Festival and winning Best Film at the 2026 New Zealand International Film Festival.

Domestically, the film is slated to open the Bangkok International Film Festival on 13 September 2026, followed by a nationwide theatrical release on 17 September 2026.

The NFMPCA’s selection marks the film’s entry into the Oscar race, where it will compete against submissions from other countries for the Best International Feature Film award at the 99th Academy Awards.

Article and image source: thethaiger.com