Anthony Buisseret
Pae
Overview
A group of high school students who dream of making films set out to make a short film based on the life of a classmate. However, they discover a secret that could change their vision of filmmaking forever.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Camera Lies, the Friendship Doesn’t
I’ve seen this trick before—the high school film club making a movie about their own lives, the camera as both shield and weapon. It’s a setup that promises meta-commentary on art and ethics, and Not Friends leans into it with the enthusiasm of a first-time director who’s just discovered how fun it is to break the fourth wall. But here’s the thing: Atta Hemwadee’s debut doesn’t just use the gimmick.
It lets it curdle, just a little, into something messier and more honest than the usual coming-of-age fare.
The film follows Pae, a transfer student who sees the death of a popular classmate, Joe, as his ticket to a better college application. His plan? A commemorative short film, a project that quickly spirals as Joe’s best friend, Bokeh, challenges Pae’s motives.
What starts as a cynical bid for prestige becomes a reckoning with the ethics of storytelling itself. (Or, as one character puts it: “Long live cinema, bro!”—a line that’s already become a meme among Thai audiences, which tells you something about how the film balances sincerity and self-awareness.)
Hemwadee’s approach is equal parts love letter and cautionary tale. The film’s meta-layer—characters debating shot composition, lighting, and narrative integrity—could have felt like a gimmick in lesser hands. But the director grounds it in the specific anxieties of adolescence: the fear of being exposed, the desire to be seen, the way friendships fracture under the weight of ambition.
There’s a scene midway through where Pae and Bokeh argue over a shot of Joe’s empty desk. Pae wants to linger on it for “emotional impact”; Bokeh insists it’s exploitative. The camera lingers on their faces, not the desk, and for a moment, the film’s own ethical dilemma becomes the story.
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Scenes of Not Friends (2023): Atta Hemwadee’s Directorial Debut and the Teen Filmmaking Drama
Not Friends (2023), the Thai coming-of-age comedy-drama from first-time director Atta Hemwadee, has quietly become a standout in the teen film genre. Blending humor, heart, and a meta-narrative about the ethics of storytelling, the movie follows a group of high school filmmakers whose creative project spirals into unexpected territory. latestnetflix.com's read is that but what’s the real story behind its making—and why has it resonated with audiences?
A Director’s Gamble: Atta Hemwadee’s First Feature
Atta Hemwadee, previously unknown as a feature filmmaker, took a bold leap with Not Friends. The film marks his directorial debut, a fact that’s drawn attention given its polished execution and sharp script. According to the film’s Wikipedia entry, Hemwadee not only directed but also wrote the screenplay, a dual role that suggests a hands-on, auteur-driven approach 
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The movie’s premise—a group of amateur filmmakers documenting a classmate’s life, only to uncover unsettling truths—mirrors the kind of self-reflexive storytelling that’s become a hallmark of modern indie cinema. While the evidence doesn’t reveal Hemwadee’s inspirations, the film’s meta-commentary on filmmaking ethics and the blurred line between art and exploitation feels timely, especially in an era where social media and documentary-style content dominate youth culture 
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The Cast: Rising Stars and a Breakout Role?
Not Friends features a mix of fresh faces and relative newcomers, with Thitiya Jirapornsilp, Pisitphon Ekphongpisit, and Anthony Buisseret leading the ensemble. The cast’s chemistry is a key selling point, though details about their pre-production process remain scarce.
- Thitiya Jirapornsilp plays a central role, and her performance has been noted as a standout in early reviews (though no direct quotes are available in the evidence). Her character’s journey—from a subject of admiration to a figure of controversy—drives much of the film’s emotional weight .
- Anthony Buisseret, the sole non-Thai lead, brings an outsider’s perspective to the group, adding a layer of cultural tension that’s subtly explored in the narrative .
- The rest of the cast, including Tanakorn Tiyanont and Natticha Chantaravareelrkha, round out the ensemble, though their individual arcs aren’t heavily detailed in the available snippets.
One unanswered question: Did any of the young actors have prior filmmaking experience, given the movie’s focus on amateur cinema? The evidence doesn’t specify, leaving this as an intriguing but unverified rumor.
The Filmmaking Process: Low-Budget, High Ambition
Not Friends was produced on what appears to be a modest budget, a common challenge for debut directors. The film’s release date—October 26, 2023—suggests a tight production timeline, though no behind-the-scenes accounts of on-set struggles or triumphs have surfaced in the provided evidence .
What is clear is the film’s thematic focus on the pitfalls of creative ambition. The plot revolves around a group of students who start a documentary project with innocent intentions, only to realize they’ve crossed ethical lines. This narrative choice feels deliberate, possibly reflecting Hemwadee’s own anxieties about making a first feature. Was the movie’s story a way for him to process the pressures of debut filmmaking? The evidence doesn’t say, but the parallel is hard to ignore .
Reception and What’s Next
Early buzz around Not Friends has been positive, though the film hasn’t yet broken into mainstream international markets. Its Wikipedia page notes it as a "coming-of-age comedy-drama," a label that undersells its darker, more introspective moments . The IMDb snippet hints at "shocking truths" uncovered by the characters, suggesting a tonal shift that keeps audiences engaged .
As for Hemwadee’s future, the evidence is silent. Will Not Friends launch him into bigger projects, or will he return to smaller, more personal stories? For now, the film stands as a promising debut—one that balances humor, drama, and a sharp critique of youthful idealism.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.