New York Asian Film Festival: Grace

GRACE

Q&A with actress Apinya Sakuljaroensuk

This cyber-stalking thriller from Thailand spins a violent tale of Internet fame gone awry and innocence gone down the tubes. Bubbly schoolgirls Care and Ple set up a Facebook fansite for Care (Napasasi Surawan) in an attempt to turn her into an online idol. Her looks and positive outlook rapidly gain her followers, but Care’s newfound popularity attracts the attention of Grace (Apinya Sakuljaroensuk), an unhinged ex-idol who devises a kidnapping plot with her number-one fan Jack (Nutthasit Kotimanuswanich) to teach Care a thing or two about the real world. Sakuljaroensuk is an absolutely fabulous villain: stunning, smart, and sassy, she brings an undercurrent of dark humor and clearly relishes playing the role of the psychotic teen. Flashing between Grace’s backstory and the violently escalating kidnapping, the film enters some pretty gnarly territory and certainly has a bone to pick with our social-media-obsessed culture.