International Festival Premiere | In Competition
Thailand, 2025, 113’, Thai
Directed by: Puttipong Nakthong
Screenplay: Puttipong Nakthong, Ruttanapon Pakphrieo
Cinematography (color): Kritsadapol Samanukul
Editing: Dog Back Dee
Music: Vanilla Sky
Production Design: Kacha Ruangtong
Producer: Warunee Kasikitsakulpol
Executive Producers: Palin Lojanagosin, Pinijsorn Luechaikajohnpan, Surachedh Assawaruenganun, Visarut Poolvaraluk, Vichaya Poolvaraluk
Cast: Somphol Rungphanit, Patara Eksangkul, Sarika Sartsilpsupa, Benjamin Joseph Varney, Chatchai Plengpanich, Arun Bhavilai
Date of First Release in Territory: November 27th, 2025
Following the repeated success of his three blockbusters in Thailand (
4 Kings,
4 Kings 2,
In Youth We Trust), director Puttipong Nakthong has finally been introduced to festival circuits in the West with his signature neo-noir and hard-core issues – related to marginalised people in Thailand. From the lives of violent mechanics students to the prisoners in
4 Kings,
4 Kings 2,
and
In Youth We Trust,
The Last Shot focuses on the criminal underworld of Thailand focusing on both the authorities and the outlaws.
Unlike other films on the solitary life of hitmen in Thailand,
The Last Shot trails the brotherhood of three friends and one senior agent who work as a team for their killing assignments. Their lives are twisted when the main protagonist Petch accidentally kills an innocent girl on one of his jobs and wants to quit. One final job goes south when the target is found to be connected to both the mafia head and the police. The final climax ends up challenging their brotherhood, within truths and betrayals.
Director Nakthong maintains his cinematic craftmanship by depicting the underworld of Thai society within the framework of realism and neo-noir genres, contrary to the brutal and quick-cut burst-outs of Hong Kong’s 80s action films. Most scenes are usually seeped in gloomy light, with reel-to-life production design and bonding dialogues shared among the characters. This cinematic realism is doubled by the editing contrast between the slow pace of the narrative and sudden cuts in the shootout and slaughtering sequences. Nakthong seems to deliver these cinematic contrasts in many ways in this fourth work – from editing, and production designs, to characters’ dialogues and behaviors.
The Last Shot shows something that has not been much seen in cinemas often – the underworld society involving all professional careers – from village headmen to the police and soldiers, who might be more brutal and evil than the real criminals. It also shows a cinematic fluidity that goes beyond horror and LGBT pictures. Most importantly, it is a good opportunity for director Puttipong Nakthong for make his debut in the film festival circuits beyond his homeland.
Puttipong Nakthong
Puttipong Nakthong learned filmmaking by practice, working as an assistant director to veteran director Yuthlert Sippapak. He started his debut feature 4 Kings after a long search for an investor for the film, which is based on his life as a vocational student. The film became an unexpected hit. Since then, Nakthong continued portraying the lives of marginalised people in Thai society in his films, most of which were blockbusters in the country.
FILMOGRAPHY
2021 – 4 Kings
2023 – 4 Kings 2
2024 – In Youth We Trust
2026 – The Last Shot