Same Same but Different

Same Same But Different is a 2009 German drama film directed by Detlev Buck. The script follows Benjamin Prüfer's 2006 autobiographical magazine article,^[1] later published as a novel in 2007. Starring David Kross and Apinya Sakuljaroensuk.

Same Same But Different
Directed by	Detlev Buck
Written by	Ruth Thoma Michael Ostrowski Detlev Buck
Produced by	Claus Boje
Starring	David Kross Apinya Sakuljaroensuk Stefan Konarske Michael Ostrowski Wanda Badwall
Music by	Konstantin Gropper
Distributed by	Delphi Filmverleih
Release dates	13 August 2009 (2009-08-13) (Locarno) 21 January 2010 (2010-01-21) (Germany)
Running time	106 minutes
Country	Germany
Language	German

The title of Same Same But Different is indeed an Asian-English phrase, mainly used in Thailand, although the film is set in Cambodia.^[2]

The film first premiered at the 62nd Locarno International Film Festival on 13 August 2009.

Plot

Benjamin (David Kross), a German high school student, is a backpacker on his first major tour. In a nightclub in Phnom Penh, he meets a young local girl, Sreykeo (played by Apinya Sakuljaroensuk), and rapidly falls in love with her. Ben opts for this love, even though Sreykeo turns out to be HIV positive and seems to be a prostitute. It is based on the true story of Sreykeo Sorvan and Benjamin Prüfer.^[3]

Cast

• David Kross as Ben
• Apinya Sakuljaroensuk as Sreykeo
• Wanda Badwal as Lilli
• Stefan Konarske as Ed
• Jens Harzer as Henry
• Anne Müller as Claudia
• Michael Ostrowski as Alex
• Marie Jung as Regula
• Lucile Charlemagne as Marie
• Julia Primus as Vanessa
• Constanze Becker as Sibylle
• Olli Dittrich as Ben's father
• Gilla Cremer as Ben's mother
• Em Boun Nat as Sreykeo's father
• Ok Sokha as Sreykeo's mother
• Anatole Taubman as the hotel manager

Award

Same Same But Different was shown at the 62nd Locarno International Film Festival^[4] on 13 August 2009; and entered in the festival competition, the "Variety Piazza Grande Award". This award is conferred by critics from the American entertainment magazine Variety to films that it considers have artistic qualities and international evaluation opportunities.