Thai cinema has a long history of misrepresenting the Lgbtqia+ community. Early films, such as “It's All Because of Katoey” (1954) contributed to the assignation of homosexuality as a social deviance. Today, Thai media have made significant progress in presenting nuanced experiences of Lgbtqia+ individuals in modern Thai society. This article presents a chronological list of 12 Thai fiction films that help understanding this evolution.
1. The Last Song (1985) by Pisan Akaraseranee
“The Last Song” tells the bittersweet story of Somying (Somying Daorai), a beautiful and successful showgirl working in a famous transvestite cabaret in Pattaya. Through her thwarted love affair with a handsome male singer, the film highlights the difficulties of being trans in Thai society. It is one of the first films to cast a transgender woman in a leading role. The film's release was a revolutionary moment, not only for the Thai entertainment industry, but also for the Lgbtqia+ community.
1. The Last Song (1985) by Pisan Akaraseranee
“The Last Song” tells the bittersweet story of Somying (Somying Daorai), a beautiful and successful showgirl working in a famous transvestite cabaret in Pattaya. Through her thwarted love affair with a handsome male singer, the film highlights the difficulties of being trans in Thai society. It is one of the first films to cast a transgender woman in a leading role. The film's release was a revolutionary moment, not only for the Thai entertainment industry, but also for the Lgbtqia+ community.
- 3/19/2024
- by Hugo Hamon
- AsianMoviePulse
Global streaming giant Netflix has made a significant ongoing commitment to production of original content from Southeast Asia and in the Chinese language.
For 2024, Netflix has unveiled a slate of four Chinese-language series, all hailing from Taiwan. From Thailand, it detailed seven series and one film. From Indonesia, it has committed to five films and a series co-written and directed by the consistently successful Joko Anwar, marking his first partnership with the streamer.
Additionally, Netflix has confirmed the appointment of Maya Huang as its head of Chinese-language content.
The moves stand in sharp contrast to the mid-January happenings at rival global streamer Prime Video, which is cutting staff in the region and ending its brief experiment with Southeast Asian originals.
In Indonesia, Netflix says it is broadening its storytelling with a range of genres including comedy, action, fantasy, and sci-fi thrillers.
“Nightmares and Daydreams,” Anwar’s debut project for the company,...
For 2024, Netflix has unveiled a slate of four Chinese-language series, all hailing from Taiwan. From Thailand, it detailed seven series and one film. From Indonesia, it has committed to five films and a series co-written and directed by the consistently successful Joko Anwar, marking his first partnership with the streamer.
Additionally, Netflix has confirmed the appointment of Maya Huang as its head of Chinese-language content.
The moves stand in sharp contrast to the mid-January happenings at rival global streamer Prime Video, which is cutting staff in the region and ending its brief experiment with Southeast Asian originals.
In Indonesia, Netflix says it is broadening its storytelling with a range of genres including comedy, action, fantasy, and sci-fi thrillers.
“Nightmares and Daydreams,” Anwar’s debut project for the company,...
- 2/2/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix has revealed its debut slate of original Thai productions, including four feature films and two TV series.
The four films will be produced in partnership with local production partners Gmm Studios International, Song Sound Production, Transformation Films, and 18 Tanwa.
The slate includes Director Sitisiri Mongkolsiri’s latest Hunger, which is billed as a restaurant drama that follows Aoy, a woman in her twenties, who runs her family’s local stir-fried noodles restaurant in the old quarter of Bangkok. One day, she receives an invitation to leave the family business and join team ‘Hunger’, Thailand’s number one luxury Chef’s table team led by the famously ingenious, and infamously nasty, Chef Paul.
Writer-director Prueksa Amaruji will bring The Lost Lotteries, produced by Ekachai Uekrongtham, to the streamer. The film is billed as a heist-comedy film about 5 losers united by a crazy mission to retrieve their 30-million-baht winning lottery...
The four films will be produced in partnership with local production partners Gmm Studios International, Song Sound Production, Transformation Films, and 18 Tanwa.
The slate includes Director Sitisiri Mongkolsiri’s latest Hunger, which is billed as a restaurant drama that follows Aoy, a woman in her twenties, who runs her family’s local stir-fried noodles restaurant in the old quarter of Bangkok. One day, she receives an invitation to leave the family business and join team ‘Hunger’, Thailand’s number one luxury Chef’s table team led by the famously ingenious, and infamously nasty, Chef Paul.
Writer-director Prueksa Amaruji will bring The Lost Lotteries, produced by Ekachai Uekrongtham, to the streamer. The film is billed as a heist-comedy film about 5 losers united by a crazy mission to retrieve their 30-million-baht winning lottery...
- 10/11/2022
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Four features and two series include the latest from award-winning director Wisit Sasanatieng.
Netflix has announced its first ever slate of original features and series from Thailand, directed by a string of award-winning filmmakers and produced by powerhouse studios Gdh and Gmm.
The films include The Murderer, directed by Wisit Sasanatieng, which marks the streaming platform’s first feature in the northeastern Thai dialect. It stars popular Thai comedian Mum Jokmok as a policeman who investigates whether an English man has killed his Thai in-laws.
Wisit is known for titles such as Western homage Tears Of The Black Tiger, which...
Netflix has announced its first ever slate of original features and series from Thailand, directed by a string of award-winning filmmakers and produced by powerhouse studios Gdh and Gmm.
The films include The Murderer, directed by Wisit Sasanatieng, which marks the streaming platform’s first feature in the northeastern Thai dialect. It stars popular Thai comedian Mum Jokmok as a policeman who investigates whether an English man has killed his Thai in-laws.
Wisit is known for titles such as Western homage Tears Of The Black Tiger, which...
- 10/11/2022
- by Silvia Wong
- ScreenDaily
International streaming company Netflix has unveiled six new titles representing its first wide-ranging slate of content from Thailand.
Its four films and two series span the comedy, suspense and comedy drama genres and hail from six different local production firms – Gmm Studios, International, Gdh, Song Sound Productions, Transformation Films, 18 Tanwa and Jungka Bangkok. Significantly, too, they are sourced from established directors or producers.
Writer-director Prueksa Amaruji’s dark comedy film “Lost Lotteries” is produced by Ekachai Uekrongtham and will stream from mid-November.
Writer-producer Kongdej Jaturanrasmee and veteran indie producer Soros Sukhum are behind director Sitisiri Mongkolsiri’s “Hunger,” a family drama with food as its central theme. It stars Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, aka Aok Bap, the breakout star of “Bad Genius” and a former Talent to Watch, selected by Variety and the International Film Festival & Awards Macao.
Veteran director Wisit Sasanatieng (“Tears of the Black Tiger”) is directing “The Murderer,...
Its four films and two series span the comedy, suspense and comedy drama genres and hail from six different local production firms – Gmm Studios, International, Gdh, Song Sound Productions, Transformation Films, 18 Tanwa and Jungka Bangkok. Significantly, too, they are sourced from established directors or producers.
Writer-director Prueksa Amaruji’s dark comedy film “Lost Lotteries” is produced by Ekachai Uekrongtham and will stream from mid-November.
Writer-producer Kongdej Jaturanrasmee and veteran indie producer Soros Sukhum are behind director Sitisiri Mongkolsiri’s “Hunger,” a family drama with food as its central theme. It stars Chutimon Chuengcharoensukying, aka Aok Bap, the breakout star of “Bad Genius” and a former Talent to Watch, selected by Variety and the International Film Festival & Awards Macao.
Veteran director Wisit Sasanatieng (“Tears of the Black Tiger”) is directing “The Murderer,...
- 10/11/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix is broadening its original content output from Thailand, a country with a history of punching above its weight with original genre filmmaking, TV production and creative advertising.
Netflix has produced and released a smattering of individual originals from Thailand over the past few years — including reality series The Stranded and crime thriller Bangkok Breaking — but the lineup unveiled by the streamer at a glitzy event in Bangkok Tuesday evening represents its first full Thai slate. The slate includes four films and two series.
“From broad comedy to twisty thrillers, this is our most diverse lineup of titles to date in Thailand,” said Netflix’s director of content for Thailand, Yongyoot Thongkongtoon.
“While we explore class disparity in culinary film Hunger, pay homage to itinerant mobile film troupes in Mon Rak Nak Pak and follow the emotional journey of strangers pretending to be a family in Analog Squad,...
Netflix has produced and released a smattering of individual originals from Thailand over the past few years — including reality series The Stranded and crime thriller Bangkok Breaking — but the lineup unveiled by the streamer at a glitzy event in Bangkok Tuesday evening represents its first full Thai slate. The slate includes four films and two series.
“From broad comedy to twisty thrillers, this is our most diverse lineup of titles to date in Thailand,” said Netflix’s director of content for Thailand, Yongyoot Thongkongtoon.
“While we explore class disparity in culinary film Hunger, pay homage to itinerant mobile film troupes in Mon Rak Nak Pak and follow the emotional journey of strangers pretending to be a family in Analog Squad,...
- 10/11/2022
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Showcasing rarely seen queer cinema from East and Southeast Asia and amplifying the voices of Asian communities in the UK
Queer East Film Festival has announced the full programme for its third edition, which runs from 18th to 29th May in London.
Following the first two successful editions, this year’s festival will bring films, audiences and filmmakers together in the cinema, while continuing to offer a chance to experience rarely-seen queer cinema from East and Southeast Asia to viewers across the UK.
At its heart, Queer East aims to amplify the voices of queer Asian communities, to challenge normative definitions of gender and sexual expression, and to introduce UK audiences to LGBTQ+ cinema that they might not otherwise get a chance to see. This year’s programme includes feature films, shorts, programmes of boundary-challenging artists’ moving image work, a Virtual Reality experience, and a TV miniseries, alongside filmmakers’ Q&As.
Queer East Film Festival has announced the full programme for its third edition, which runs from 18th to 29th May in London.
Following the first two successful editions, this year’s festival will bring films, audiences and filmmakers together in the cinema, while continuing to offer a chance to experience rarely-seen queer cinema from East and Southeast Asia to viewers across the UK.
At its heart, Queer East aims to amplify the voices of queer Asian communities, to challenge normative definitions of gender and sexual expression, and to introduce UK audiences to LGBTQ+ cinema that they might not otherwise get a chance to see. This year’s programme includes feature films, shorts, programmes of boundary-challenging artists’ moving image work, a Virtual Reality experience, and a TV miniseries, alongside filmmakers’ Q&As.
- 4/29/2022
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Netflix is continuing its originals drive in Asia with a raft of drama series including Chinese-language thriller Triad Princess.
This comes after the Svod service launched five new anime titles including adaptations of Pacific Rim and Altered Carbon.
The company unveiled 17 new Asian original productions from Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea at an event in Singapore and is set to reveal an additional nine projects from India later this week. The announcements were made by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos.
Titles including Thai-language original The Stranded, which follows an 18 year old who survives a devastating tsunami along with thirty-six of his fellow students at an elite private high school on a remote island in the Andaman Sea. Directed by Sophon Sakdaphisit, it is produced by Gmm Grammy and H2L Media Group with Executive Producers Ekachai Uekrongtham, Gary Levinsohn, Steven Sims, Billy Hines and Christian Durso.
This comes after the Svod service launched five new anime titles including adaptations of Pacific Rim and Altered Carbon.
The company unveiled 17 new Asian original productions from Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and South Korea at an event in Singapore and is set to reveal an additional nine projects from India later this week. The announcements were made by Netflix CEO Reed Hastings and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos.
Titles including Thai-language original The Stranded, which follows an 18 year old who survives a devastating tsunami along with thirty-six of his fellow students at an elite private high school on a remote island in the Andaman Sea. Directed by Sophon Sakdaphisit, it is produced by Gmm Grammy and H2L Media Group with Executive Producers Ekachai Uekrongtham, Gary Levinsohn, Steven Sims, Billy Hines and Christian Durso.
- 11/8/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
On Wednesday at its first ever Asian content showcase, Netflix announced five new anime projects, including a series based on “Pacific Rim,” a feature film set in the “Altered Carbon” universe, and a new series featuring the voice of Lakeith Stanfield.
At “See What’s Next: Asia” held in Singapore, Netflix also announced two Thai language originals, a Chinese language original, and a second season renewal for its upcoming Korean fantasy drama “Kingdom,” the first season of which premieres on the streaming service Jan. 25.
Heading up the anime slate is “Pacific Rim” from showrunners Craig Kyle (“Thor: Ragnarok”) and Greg Johnson (“X-Men: Evolution.”) The series will expand on the story of giant robots vs. kaiju from the first two live action movies and will follow two siblings, an idealistic teenage boy and his naïve younger sister, forced to pilot an abandoned Jaeger across a hostile landscape in a desperate attempt to find their missing parents.
At “See What’s Next: Asia” held in Singapore, Netflix also announced two Thai language originals, a Chinese language original, and a second season renewal for its upcoming Korean fantasy drama “Kingdom,” the first season of which premieres on the streaming service Jan. 25.
Heading up the anime slate is “Pacific Rim” from showrunners Craig Kyle (“Thor: Ragnarok”) and Greg Johnson (“X-Men: Evolution.”) The series will expand on the story of giant robots vs. kaiju from the first two live action movies and will follow two siblings, an idealistic teenage boy and his naïve younger sister, forced to pilot an abandoned Jaeger across a hostile landscape in a desperate attempt to find their missing parents.
- 11/8/2018
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
HBO Asia is teaming with China Movie Channel (Cmc) on a series of Chinese-language martial arts movies, starting with two films executive produced by Corey Yuen.
Scheduled to premiere at the end of 2016, the first two films – Master Of The Drunken Fist: Beggar So and Master Of The Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying – will screen concurrently on Cmc and HBO’s channels across 23 Asian territories.
The two films, set at the end of the Qing dynasty, are currently shooting at the Hengdian production base in China, with action choreographer Guo Jian Yong directing.
Award-winning Singaporean screenwriter Koh Teng Liang is among a team of writers from China on the second film.
“Apart from being HBO Asia’s very first Chinese language production and approach to the genre, this also marks the network’s first collaboration with talents from China, Hong Kong and Singapore,” said HBO Asia CEO Jonathan Spink.
State-owned Cmc, which operates...
Scheduled to premiere at the end of 2016, the first two films – Master Of The Drunken Fist: Beggar So and Master Of The Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying – will screen concurrently on Cmc and HBO’s channels across 23 Asian territories.
The two films, set at the end of the Qing dynasty, are currently shooting at the Hengdian production base in China, with action choreographer Guo Jian Yong directing.
Award-winning Singaporean screenwriter Koh Teng Liang is among a team of writers from China on the second film.
“Apart from being HBO Asia’s very first Chinese language production and approach to the genre, this also marks the network’s first collaboration with talents from China, Hong Kong and Singapore,” said HBO Asia CEO Jonathan Spink.
State-owned Cmc, which operates...
- 7/11/2016
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
Dolph Lundgren hasn’t enjoyed the same continued prominence as many of his equally hulking, stone-jawed peers – unlike Arnie, who has a new Terminator out this summer, or Sylvester Stallone, who’ll play Rocky again for fall spinoff Creed, the towering Swede has been contained to bargain-bin fare and occasional cameos in The Expendables. And though no one is contesting his ability to throw a punch, Lundgren still hasn’t had his True Lies moment, so to speak.
I wish I could report that Skin Trade was that watershed for the actor, that perfect part to elevate him from man-mountain to dramatic heavyweight – but it’s just not the case. As vengeful New Jersey cop Nick Cassidy, Lundgren is working well within his wheelhouse, and the ease with which the performer manages his dialogue speaks to how standard a part Skin Trade gives him. That shouldn’t come as a surprise – after all,...
I wish I could report that Skin Trade was that watershed for the actor, that perfect part to elevate him from man-mountain to dramatic heavyweight – but it’s just not the case. As vengeful New Jersey cop Nick Cassidy, Lundgren is working well within his wheelhouse, and the ease with which the performer manages his dialogue speaks to how standard a part Skin Trade gives him. That shouldn’t come as a surprise – after all,...
- 5/8/2015
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
Tony Jaa and Dolph Lundgren come from very different camps within the action genre. Weaned on a diet of martial arts before making his breakout in high-octane fighting series Ong Bak, the former is among some of the best fighters to break into Hollywood. On the other hand, Lundgren is best known for his role as the unyielding man-mountain Ivan Drogo in Rocky IV, before flexing his muscles alongside his genre contemporaries Stallone and Schwarzenegger for The Expendables franchise.
Fast forward to 2015 and the fresh-faced Jaa is set to team up with the action stalwart for Ekachai Uekrongtham’s Skin Trade, a hard-boiled thriller that puts them in pursuit of Ron Perlman’s elusive Serbian mobster.
Due to premiere in Los Angeles tomorrow, Wednesday 6, there’s a buzz of excitement for the arrival of Uekrongtham’s actioner, and We Got This Covered has 5 pairs of tickets to give away to our readers.
Fast forward to 2015 and the fresh-faced Jaa is set to team up with the action stalwart for Ekachai Uekrongtham’s Skin Trade, a hard-boiled thriller that puts them in pursuit of Ron Perlman’s elusive Serbian mobster.
Due to premiere in Los Angeles tomorrow, Wednesday 6, there’s a buzz of excitement for the arrival of Uekrongtham’s actioner, and We Got This Covered has 5 pairs of tickets to give away to our readers.
- 5/5/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Magnet Releasing has acquired U.S. rights to "Skin Trade," directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham and written by Dolph Lundgren and Steven Elder. The film also stars Lundgren as Nick Cassidy, a detective investigating a human trafficking network run by a Serbian Gangster, played by Ron Perlman. When his family is murdered, Nick must follow the trail to Southeast Asia and join forces with a formidable Thai detective (Tony Jaa), to get revenge and destroy the syndicate. The film also stars Michael Jai White ("The Dark Knight"), Celina Jade ("Arrow") and Peter Weller ("Star Trek Into Darkness"). This is the first pairing of Lundgren and Jaa, two of the most iconic actors in action cinema. "Skin Trade" will make its premiere on demand everywhere on April 23, with a May 8 theatrical release to follow. Read More: 'Expendables 3' Leaked Online. What Does It Mean for Indie Filmmakers?...
- 2/20/2015
- by Jena Keahon
- Indiewire
First of all, we would like to say Happy New Year to all our readers at Asian Movie Pulse. many thanks for the years of continuous support and we hope 2015 is a great year for you all.
This is part 1 for upcoming movies in 2015 to watch out for, if you feel a movie deserves to make part 2, please comment at bottom of the page.
Dragon Blade
Cast: Jackie Chan, Adrien Brody, John Cusack, Choi Siwon, Lin Peng
Director: Daniel Lee
The Bodyguard
Cast: Sammo Hung, Andy Lau, Deng Chao, Wang Xuebing, Tian Liang
Director: Sammo Hung
Sha Po Lang 2
Cast: Tony Jaa, Wu Jing, Simon Yam, Zhang Jin, Louis Koo
Director: Cheang Pou-soi
The Challenge Letter
Cast: Robert Chen, Nobuaki Shimamoto, Ingrid Yin Hu
Director: Robert Chen, Nathan Colquhoun
Skintrade
Cast: Tony Jaa, Dolph Lundgren, Michael Jai White, Ron Perlman
Director: Ekachai Uekrongtham
Detective K: Secret of the Lost Island
Cast: Kim Myung Min,...
This is part 1 for upcoming movies in 2015 to watch out for, if you feel a movie deserves to make part 2, please comment at bottom of the page.
Dragon Blade
Cast: Jackie Chan, Adrien Brody, John Cusack, Choi Siwon, Lin Peng
Director: Daniel Lee
The Bodyguard
Cast: Sammo Hung, Andy Lau, Deng Chao, Wang Xuebing, Tian Liang
Director: Sammo Hung
Sha Po Lang 2
Cast: Tony Jaa, Wu Jing, Simon Yam, Zhang Jin, Louis Koo
Director: Cheang Pou-soi
The Challenge Letter
Cast: Robert Chen, Nobuaki Shimamoto, Ingrid Yin Hu
Director: Robert Chen, Nathan Colquhoun
Skintrade
Cast: Tony Jaa, Dolph Lundgren, Michael Jai White, Ron Perlman
Director: Ekachai Uekrongtham
Detective K: Secret of the Lost Island
Cast: Kim Myung Min,...
- 1/2/2015
- by kingofkungfu
- AsianMoviePulse
Director Ekachai Uekrongtham (The Coffin) changes direction with his latest movie, a collaboration with Thai superstar Tony Jaa. It's been a long time since Jaa had a bona fide hit on his hands, and there's little chance of this one breaking the mould, however, he is joined by some awesome talent. Dolph Lundgren (The Expendables) shares top-billing with the pintsized wonder, but he's not the only big Hollywood star to make an appearance. Sons of Anarchy regulars are currently seeking new employment, which means the likes of Ron Perlman (Hellboy) and Peter Weller (Robocop) have some free time on their hands. Michael Jai White, fresh from Arrow duties, more than makes up the numbers in this decent looking action movie. Set in and around Bangkok, we'll bring you more information when we have it. For now though, check out the impressive trailer. Guilty pleasures don't come around that often these days.
- 10/13/2014
- 24framespersecond.net
Dolph Lundgren is very much the star in the first official trailer for Skin Trade, directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham (Beautiful Boxer), but Tony Jaa is lurking in the background, ready to strike fear into the hearts of men with his fists and his feet. Lundgren and Jaa play two cops who team up to take down Ron Perlman, an evil human trafficker who fled the United States after killing Lundgren's family and is hiding in Thailand. That allows for plenty of action, occasional flying bodies, and an explosion or two. Michael Jai White co-stars, plus the dependable Peter Weller is present to dispense authoritative commands. The film is aiming for a 2015 release. If the action is as consistently good as what's depicted in the trailer, this could...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 10/11/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Exclusive: Hyde Park International (Hpi) president Eric Christenson will commence sales in Cannes on the Dolph Lundgren and Tony Jaa revenge thriller.
Beautiful Boxer director Ekachai Uekrongtham recently completed principal photography on Skin Trade in Thailand, based on a screenplay by Gabriel Dowrick, Steven Elder and Lundgren.
The film stars Lundgren as a New York detective who teams up with a Thai counterpart played by Jaa after a Serbian crime lord murders his family. In the process the pair attempt to tear down the villain’s human trafficking operation.
The cast includes Ron Perlman, Michael Jai White and Peter Weller. The film recently shot in Thailand under the auspices of Sc Pictures International and Sc Films Thailand and Lundgren produces with Craig Baumgarten and Sc Pictures International CEO Mike Selby.
“We were blown away when we saw the footage of Skin Trade,” said Christenson, who will show nine minutes of footage to buyers on the Croisette.
“Dolph...
Beautiful Boxer director Ekachai Uekrongtham recently completed principal photography on Skin Trade in Thailand, based on a screenplay by Gabriel Dowrick, Steven Elder and Lundgren.
The film stars Lundgren as a New York detective who teams up with a Thai counterpart played by Jaa after a Serbian crime lord murders his family. In the process the pair attempt to tear down the villain’s human trafficking operation.
The cast includes Ron Perlman, Michael Jai White and Peter Weller. The film recently shot in Thailand under the auspices of Sc Pictures International and Sc Films Thailand and Lundgren produces with Craig Baumgarten and Sc Pictures International CEO Mike Selby.
“We were blown away when we saw the footage of Skin Trade,” said Christenson, who will show nine minutes of footage to buyers on the Croisette.
“Dolph...
- 5/7/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
What difference does a director make? Rather a lot, really, and after years of toil with Ong Bak helmer Prachya Pinkaew Thai martial artist Tony Jaa has hooked up with Beautiful Boxer helmer Ekachai Uekrongtham and based on the production teaser posted to the film's Facebook page a few days back the step up in quality could be remarkable. Lest you think I'm being mean to Pinkaew here, do me this favor before complaining: Go rent his English language picture White Elephant. That is, of course, assuming you can find it which you probably can't because it's awful on a scale that it has been blotted from the minds and release schedules of most around the world. What has become clear with Pinkaew over the...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 3/26/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Todd revealed the first promotional poster for Ekachai Uekrongtham’s upcoming asskicker “Skin Trade” last year, but apparently nothing was official then. Well, it’s all official now. Dolph Lundgren and Tony Jaa, along with Ron Perlman, Michael Jai White, and Celina Jade have all signed on the dotted line to star in the upcoming Bangkok-set actioner. Sc Films International made the announcement today, and also offers up this synopsis for the movie: From a screenplay by Gabriel Dowrick, Steven Elder and Dolph Lundgren. Skin Trade tells the story of New York City detective Nick Cassidy (Lundgren) who, after his family is killed by a Serbian crime boss (Perlman), heads to Bangkok and teams up with a Thai detective (Jaa) to get revenge and bring down a worldwide human trafficking ring. Lundgren won’t just be starring, he also co-wrote the script and will be producing, and he had this...
- 2/7/2014
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
Sc Films International’s ‘Skin Trade’ Sets Cast Sc Films International has lined up Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa, Ron Perlman, Peter Weller, Michael Jai White, Celina Jade and Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa for action thriller Skin Trade. Ekachai Uekrongtham directs the film, which has just started principal photography in Bangkok. From a screenplay by Gabriel Dowrick, Steven Elder and Lundgren, Skin Trade tells the story of a New York City detective who, after his family is killed by a Serbian crime boss, heads to Bangkok and teams up with a Thai detective to get revenge and bring down a worldwide human trafficking ring. Lundgren, Craig Baumgarten and Sc Films’ Mike Selby are producers. BBC Films Options Novel ‘That Part Was True’ BBC Films has optioned Deborah McKinlay’s novel That Part Was True. The story follows the relationships between a UK divorcée and a U.S. author through their shared love of food and cooking.
- 2/4/2014
- by NANCY TARTAGLIONE, International Editor
- Deadline TV
Ka-li (noun): 1) One of the manifestations and cult titles of the wife of Shiva and mother goddess Devi, especially in her malevolent role as a goddess of death and destruction, depicted as black, red-eyed, blood-stained, and wearing a necklace of skulls...
2) Eskrima, Arnis and Kali are umbrella terms for the traditional martial arts of the Philippines ("Filipino Martial Arts," or Fma) that emphasize weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives and other bladed weapons, and various improvised weapons.
It also includes hand-to-hand combat, joint locks, grappling and weapon disarming techniques.
More and more, martial arts action sequences are becoming integral to genre filmmaking. From the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" series (1997) and Blade (1998) to The Hulk (2003) and Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), we’re seeing more and more cinematic heroes who are kickin’ ass. One commonality in all of the aforementioned films are the action choreographers/stunt people: Ron Balicki and Diana Lee Inosanto.
2) Eskrima, Arnis and Kali are umbrella terms for the traditional martial arts of the Philippines ("Filipino Martial Arts," or Fma) that emphasize weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives and other bladed weapons, and various improvised weapons.
It also includes hand-to-hand combat, joint locks, grappling and weapon disarming techniques.
More and more, martial arts action sequences are becoming integral to genre filmmaking. From the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" series (1997) and Blade (1998) to The Hulk (2003) and Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004), we’re seeing more and more cinematic heroes who are kickin’ ass. One commonality in all of the aforementioned films are the action choreographers/stunt people: Ron Balicki and Diana Lee Inosanto.
- 1/28/2014
- by Carnell
- DreadCentral.com
Dolph Lundgren and Tony Jaa are starring together in the upcoming action flick “Skin Trade.” Although the film has yet to go before the camera, this hasn’t stopped producers from unveiling a new poster. You can find this nifty slice of artwork positioned below. Lundgren is producing and co-writing the script, but he won’t tackle directing duties on the flick. This honor will go to Ekachai Uekrongtham, the individual responsible for lensing both “Beautiful Boxer” and “The Coffin.” Production on the picture begins next year. While you’re waiting to hear more about the Dolph Lundgren and Tony Jaa collaboration, have a look at the poster below. Extra special thanks to the “Ong BaK” star for sharing the piece on Facebook. The film may not be filming just yet, but at least we have a poster to occupy our Jaa-starved minds in the meantime. “Skin Trade” could arrive as early as next year.
- 9/16/2013
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
Upcoming Dolph Lundgren / Tony Jaa star vehicle Skin Trade has its director and according to a post on Lundgren's Instagram account the job is going to Beautiful Boxer helmer Ekachai Uekrongtham. It's an interesting choice for while Uekrongtham has showcased action chops and an interest in broader genre film in his past work he's still primarily viewed as an arthouse director and it's a safe bet that he'll push both Lundgren and co-star Tony Jaa harder on the performance side of the equation than normal, which could be a very good thing.Skin Trade is an international action picture set against the backdrop of the sex trade in Bangkok. Lundgren wrote the initial draft - since worked on further by Universal Soldier veteran John Hyams -...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 6/21/2013
- Screen Anarchy
Footprint in the Desert still
Indian documentary “Footprints in the Desert” will receive the Asian Network of Documentary Fund, of the Busan International Film Festival.
The selections of the Asian Cinema Fund 2012 are out today.
“Footprints in the Desert” to be directed by Balaka Ghosh and produced by Kumud Ranjan teIls human stories from India and Pakistan Border in Rajasthan through the footprints in the desert.
The other Asian Projects selected for Asian Network of Documentary Fund are: Stepanyan’s (Lebanon) “Embers”, “Shahrzaad’s Tale” by Shahin Parhami (Iran, Canada) “Selection: Who will be a Gurkha?” by Kesang Tseten Lama (Nepal), “Stone Town” by Guo Jing and Ke Dingding (China), “We State, A Forsaken People” (China, Myanmar), and “Fluid Boundaries” (South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia).
The Asian projects which will receive Script Development Fund are: “30 Days with Me” by Babak Amini (Iran), “Lian-Qing, a Burmese Girl” by Midi Z (Myanmar), “Lenin?...
Indian documentary “Footprints in the Desert” will receive the Asian Network of Documentary Fund, of the Busan International Film Festival.
The selections of the Asian Cinema Fund 2012 are out today.
“Footprints in the Desert” to be directed by Balaka Ghosh and produced by Kumud Ranjan teIls human stories from India and Pakistan Border in Rajasthan through the footprints in the desert.
The other Asian Projects selected for Asian Network of Documentary Fund are: Stepanyan’s (Lebanon) “Embers”, “Shahrzaad’s Tale” by Shahin Parhami (Iran, Canada) “Selection: Who will be a Gurkha?” by Kesang Tseten Lama (Nepal), “Stone Town” by Guo Jing and Ke Dingding (China), “We State, A Forsaken People” (China, Myanmar), and “Fluid Boundaries” (South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia).
The Asian projects which will receive Script Development Fund are: “30 Days with Me” by Babak Amini (Iran), “Lian-Qing, a Burmese Girl” by Midi Z (Myanmar), “Lenin?...
- 7/3/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Director/writer: Ekachai Uekrongtham.
Cast: Ananda Everingham, Florence Faivre and Andrew Lin.
*A screener of this film was provided by Gravitas Ventures.
Sensory deprivation can cause strange events to happen. When the participant is willing to be placed in a coffin, and let the lid be hammered shut, one song comes to mind, “Welcome to my Nightmare.” No, Alice Cooper isn't going to sing in the dark. Instead, what those people will hear is the chanting of psalms. The Thai ritual of purification is now set to begin.
Simply titled Coffin, this film exposes the life and times of Chris (Ananda Everingham) and Su (Karen Mok). These two individuals undergo this renewal process which begins with them learning this bizarre true-to-life event, the Non Loeng Sadorcro ceremony. And when they arrive at the Wat Prommanee temple in Nakhon Nayok, about 100km northeast of Bangkok, to participate in this ritual, that’s when the fun begins.
Cast: Ananda Everingham, Florence Faivre and Andrew Lin.
*A screener of this film was provided by Gravitas Ventures.
Sensory deprivation can cause strange events to happen. When the participant is willing to be placed in a coffin, and let the lid be hammered shut, one song comes to mind, “Welcome to my Nightmare.” No, Alice Cooper isn't going to sing in the dark. Instead, what those people will hear is the chanting of psalms. The Thai ritual of purification is now set to begin.
Simply titled Coffin, this film exposes the life and times of Chris (Ananda Everingham) and Su (Karen Mok). These two individuals undergo this renewal process which begins with them learning this bizarre true-to-life event, the Non Loeng Sadorcro ceremony. And when they arrive at the Wat Prommanee temple in Nakhon Nayok, about 100km northeast of Bangkok, to participate in this ritual, that’s when the fun begins.
- 8/16/2011
- by noreply@blogger.com (Ed Sum)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
Director: Ekachai Uekrongtham. Review: Adam Wing. Legend has it that in Thailand you can spend the night in a specially designed coffin and cheat death, many people have claimed that such an event has changed their lives for the better. To prolong his girlfriend's life, architect Chris (Ananda Everingham) overcomes his claustrophobia and participates in the real life mass coffin ritual. Diagnosed with terminal cancer one week before her wedding, Hong Kong nutritionist Sue (Karen Mok) abandons her life in the hope of cheating death as well. As is usually the case in this kind of thing, events don’t quite go according to plan (there’ll be no hugs and puppies on this one) and it’s not long before consequences far worse than death come a knocking. Come a crawling. Come a creeping… you get the idea. The fifth instalment of the Final Destination series is fooling around...
- 8/5/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
Well bugger me! Breaking Glass Pictures deserve a pat on the back as they announce they'll be bringing Ekachai Uekrongtham's Thai horror 'The Coffin' to Us DVD shelves. The Bangkok spirit based ritual tale has been knocking around for a few years now but good news if you're based stateside as at least you'll be able to enjoy this bad boy in the comfort of your home at long last. Ananda Everingham, Karen Mok, Florence Faivre (below), Hoi Lin and Napakpapha Nakprasitte all star. Catch 'The Coffin' on shelves from 30 August....
- 7/13/2011
- Horror Asylum
Well its great to see at least some U.S based distributors are still releasing good Asian horror movies these days. Breaking Glass Pictures are set to drop Ekachai Uekrongtham’s darkly brooding Thai horror The Coffin on DVD next month. Coffin stars Karen Mok and Ananda Everingham star in a tale about the fear of death and the cost of love. Based on a real-life ritual and shot on location in Bangkok, ancient Thai spiritual grounds, and an active crematorium….Cheery! The Coffin streets on August 30th. Review soon. Synopsis: Su and Chris are two strangers whose lives have been struck by tragedy Su has been diagnosed with lung cancer just days before her wedding and Chris longtime girlfriend has fallen into a mysterious coma. When they both learn of a bizarre Thai ritual in which a living person lies in a coffin to reverse bad Karma, they both...
- 7/11/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
Well its great to see at least some U.S based distributors are still releasing good Asian horror movies these days. Breaking Glass Pictures are set to drop Ekachai Uekrongtham’s darkly brooding Thai horror The Coffin on DVD next month. Coffin stars Karen Mok and Ananda Everingham star in a tale about the fear of death and the cost of love. Based on a real-life ritual and shot on location in Bangkok, ancient Thai spiritual grounds, and an active crematorium….Cheery! The Coffin streets on August 30th. Review soon. Synopsis: Su and Chris are two strangers whose lives have been struck by tragedy Su has been diagnosed with lung cancer just days before her wedding and Chris longtime girlfriend has fallen into a mysterious coma. When they both learn of a bizarre Thai ritual in which a living person lies in a coffin to reverse bad Karma, they both...
- 7/11/2011
- 24framespersecond.net
Breaking Glass Pictures will release The Coffin, Strigoi and Asylum Seekers under its Vicious Circle Films label. We have all the details for you below!
The Coffin
Synopsis:
Su and Chris are two strangers whose lives have been struck by tragedy — Su has been diagnosed with lung cancer just days before her wedding and Chris’ longtime girlfriend has fallen into a mysterious coma. When they both learn of a bizarre Thai ritual in which a living person lies in a coffin to reverse bad Karma, they both decide to partake in a mass funeral for the living. Soon, their lives have turned around — Su’s cancer vanishes and Chris’ girlfriend awakes from her coma — but the good fortune is short-lived. A series of terrifying paranormal events suggests that Su and Chris may have upset the Karmic balance of the universe by cleansing themselves of bad luck, and the people closest...
The Coffin
Synopsis:
Su and Chris are two strangers whose lives have been struck by tragedy — Su has been diagnosed with lung cancer just days before her wedding and Chris’ longtime girlfriend has fallen into a mysterious coma. When they both learn of a bizarre Thai ritual in which a living person lies in a coffin to reverse bad Karma, they both decide to partake in a mass funeral for the living. Soon, their lives have turned around — Su’s cancer vanishes and Chris’ girlfriend awakes from her coma — but the good fortune is short-lived. A series of terrifying paranormal events suggests that Su and Chris may have upset the Karmic balance of the universe by cleansing themselves of bad luck, and the people closest...
- 6/22/2011
- by brians
- GeekTyrant
Breaking Glass Pictures under the Vicious Circle Films label is quickly making a name for themselves within the genre by releasing quality indie and foreign horror flicks. Think we're kiddin'? Check out the scoop on their next three titles for August!
From the Press Release
Breaking Glass Pictures will release director Faye Jackson’s vampire tale “Strigoi: The Undead” on DVD August 2 under the Vicious Circl Films label. The dark comedy follows the quirky inhabitants of a Romanian village who learn that there are vampires among them.
Synopsis: After failing to start a life of his own, 20-something Vlad is forced to move back to his grandfather’s old farming village in Romania. Though the village seems like a typical Eastern European haven, a mysterious death suddenly thrusts Vlad into the heart of a murder mystery. As he sets out to investigate, his trail leads him to the Tirescus...
From the Press Release
Breaking Glass Pictures will release director Faye Jackson’s vampire tale “Strigoi: The Undead” on DVD August 2 under the Vicious Circl Films label. The dark comedy follows the quirky inhabitants of a Romanian village who learn that there are vampires among them.
Synopsis: After failing to start a life of his own, 20-something Vlad is forced to move back to his grandfather’s old farming village in Romania. Though the village seems like a typical Eastern European haven, a mysterious death suddenly thrusts Vlad into the heart of a murder mystery. As he sets out to investigate, his trail leads him to the Tirescus...
- 6/21/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
A Thai turning up on DVD with English subtitles can be rarer than Hen’s teeth these days, so it’s always a surprise when one we’re really keen to see crops up via a well known e-tailer. Case in point….Ananda Everingham’s (Shutter) supernatural horror pic Coffin, is now available to order on Malaysian English subtitled DVD. Directed by award-winning “Beautiful Boxer” filmmaker Ekachai Uekrongtham, Coffin is apparently inspired by a realThai ritual and deals with life, death, loss and the heavy price you can pay for trying to cheat death.
- 6/25/2009
- 24framespersecond.net
A Thai turning up on DVD with English subtitles can be rarer than Hen’s teeth these days, so it’s always a surprise when one we’re really keen to see crops up via a well known e-tailer. Case in point….Ananda Everingham’s (Shutter) supernatural horror pic Coffin, is now available to order on Malaysian English subtitled DVD. Directed by award-winning “Beautiful Boxer” filmmaker Ekachai Uekrongtham, Coffin is apparently inspired by a realThai ritual and deals with life, death, loss and the heavy price you can pay for trying to cheat death.
- 6/25/2009
- 24framespersecond.net
A Thai movie turning up on DVD with English subtitles can be rarer than Hen’s teeth these days, so it’s always a surprise when one we’re really keen to see crops up via a well known e-tailer. Case in point….Ananda Everingham’s (Shutter) supernatural horror pic Coffin, is now available to order on Malaysian English subtitled DVD. Directed by award-winning “Beautiful Boxer” filmmaker Ekachai Uekrongtham, Coffin is apparently inspired by a realThai ritual and deals with life, death, loss and the heavy price you can pay for trying to cheat death.
- 6/25/2009
- 24framespersecond.net
Ekachai Uekrongtham's new Thai horror flick 'The Coffin' will be arriving a little later this year in the Us on June 9. The movie, based on a 'True Thai Ritual', has gotten itself a brand new creepy poster. You can check it out below. 'A Thai architect and a Hong Kong dietitian decide to go through the ritual of lying in a coffin to get rid of bad luck, to prolong life, and to cheat death ...
- 4/21/2009
- Horror Asylum
This year’s International Film Festival Rotterdam contained a segment on Asian ghost films, with the programmers bringing in several entries from Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam…
Horror, and in particular ghost and spirit-based horror, is very popular in especially Thailand and Indonesia, who produce a vast amount of these movies every year.
So while the festival had no shortage of choice, the big question with each and every one of these is: can it bring something new to the table, or are we watching the ten-thousandth Ringu-clone?
Which brings me to Ekachai Uekrongtham’s “The Coffin”, which strangely enough falls in both categories. It’s a schizophrenic film from beginning till end, and the reason for this is easily explained: it started out as one kind of movie, but was forced by necessity to become something else.
The interesting part of the movie deals with a true existing Thai ritual,...
Horror, and in particular ghost and spirit-based horror, is very popular in especially Thailand and Indonesia, who produce a vast amount of these movies every year.
So while the festival had no shortage of choice, the big question with each and every one of these is: can it bring something new to the table, or are we watching the ten-thousandth Ringu-clone?
Which brings me to Ekachai Uekrongtham’s “The Coffin”, which strangely enough falls in both categories. It’s a schizophrenic film from beginning till end, and the reason for this is easily explained: it started out as one kind of movie, but was forced by necessity to become something else.
The interesting part of the movie deals with a true existing Thai ritual,...
- 2/9/2009
- by Ard Vijn
- Screen Anarchy
With Halloween in the air, moviegoers in Singapore rushed out to see the new Thai horror film 'The Coffin', making it the No. 1 film at the box office on its Opening Day last Thursday - outgrossing all other films including Saw V. Inspired by a true controversial ritual of lying in coffins to get rid of bad luck and prolong lives, the English-language film has also broken the record for Best Opening Day for all other Thai horror films previously held by 'Shutter'. Written and directed by Thai helmer Ekachai Uekrongtham (Beautiful Boxer), the Karen M...
- 11/3/2008
- MoviesOnline.ca
First discovered here on B-d this past June, this weekend the official website was discovered for the Thai supernatural thriller The Coffin, which features the teasrer trailer for the film that was written and directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham. Inspired by a true Thai ritual of lying in coffins to cheat death and get rid of bad luck, The Coffin is a spine-chilling supernatural thriller about a man and a woman who are confronted by a series of paranormal and terrifying incidents after going through the bizarre ritual. Thrilling, mysterious and ultimately moving, this new film from the award-winning director of Beautiful Boxer is also about the beauty of life and death, living and dying.
- 7/14/2008
- bloody-disgusting.com
We caught wind today from Cannes of a new Asian horror film that looks pretty damn cool. Entitled The Coffin, the film was written and directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham and stars Karen Mok (So Close), Ananda Everingham (Shutter), Andrew Lin (The Heavenly Kings) and Napakapa Nakpasit (Art of Devil 2).. Inspired by a true Thai ritual of lying in coffins to cheat death and get rid of bad luck, The Coffin is a spine-chilling supernatural thriller about a man and a woman who are confronted by a series of paranormal and terrifying incidents after going through the bizarre ritual. Thrilling, mysterious and ultimately moving, this new film from the award-winning director of Beautiful Boxer is also about the beauty of life and death, living and dying.
- 6/4/2008
- bloody-disgusting.com
- Yesterday I came close to tearing up and it might be the sentimental favorite for the jurors for this fest. It’s got a pulse, feels less artificial than similar in theme films like the award-winning The Sea Inside and it is void of any moralistic take. Look for Julian Schnabel’s Le Scaphandre et le papillon to score big on Sunday – of course it has got Van Sant’s film and perhaps Fatih Akin’s latest to contend with. Unless your name is Michael Jackson, the stinker so far for me in this festival is Harmony Korine’s Mister Lonely. I wanted to walk out after 20 minutes – although the best part comes with Werner Herzog comically playing some priest…and that occurs somewhere in the first 25 minutes. Korine has his fans but I wonder what players like Diego Luna and Samantha Morton saw in the screenplay. On that
- 5/23/2007
- IONCINEMA.com
Bangkok International Film Festival
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Intriguingly blurring the lines between conventional notions of masculinity and femininity, "Beautiful Boxer" is a stirring, loosely fictionalized portrait of Thai kickboxing sensation Nong Toom, who decked his opponents while decked out in drag -- that is, until he earned enough money to pay for a full-fledged sex change operation.
Fitting into the relatively new but burgeoning genre of ladyboy cinema (see also 1999's "Iron Ladies") and screened as part of the Thai Panorama section of the Bangkok International Film Festival, the artfully assembled film is a genuine crowd pleaser and, given the right handling by the right distributor, could emerge as something of a Thai "Billy Elliot".
Directed by first-time filmmaker Ekachai Uekrongtham from a script he wrote with Desmond Sim Kim Chin, the energetic drama efficiently connects the formative dots that were to shape Toom's destiny -- he was convinced from a very early age that he was a girl trapped in a man's body -- starting from a childhood fascination with beautiful women and pageantry through to his teenage years as a traveling monk and on to grueling training in a Thai boxing camp, where he was to find his true calling.
Unlike the hit "Iron Ladies", which served up a volleyball team of drag queens, transvestites, transsexuals and a lone straight guy playing it mainly for laughs, Ekachai's film takes a more compassionate view of its subject and boasts a dynamic performance by real-life kickboxer Asanee Suwan.
The real-life kickboxer resists the obvious camp impulses and plays things more or less straight (he received Thailand's equivalent to the Oscar for his efforts), allowing Eckachai and his cameraman ample opportunity dress all the ringside action in a fittingly high-gloss luster.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Intriguingly blurring the lines between conventional notions of masculinity and femininity, "Beautiful Boxer" is a stirring, loosely fictionalized portrait of Thai kickboxing sensation Nong Toom, who decked his opponents while decked out in drag -- that is, until he earned enough money to pay for a full-fledged sex change operation.
Fitting into the relatively new but burgeoning genre of ladyboy cinema (see also 1999's "Iron Ladies") and screened as part of the Thai Panorama section of the Bangkok International Film Festival, the artfully assembled film is a genuine crowd pleaser and, given the right handling by the right distributor, could emerge as something of a Thai "Billy Elliot".
Directed by first-time filmmaker Ekachai Uekrongtham from a script he wrote with Desmond Sim Kim Chin, the energetic drama efficiently connects the formative dots that were to shape Toom's destiny -- he was convinced from a very early age that he was a girl trapped in a man's body -- starting from a childhood fascination with beautiful women and pageantry through to his teenage years as a traveling monk and on to grueling training in a Thai boxing camp, where he was to find his true calling.
Unlike the hit "Iron Ladies", which served up a volleyball team of drag queens, transvestites, transsexuals and a lone straight guy playing it mainly for laughs, Ekachai's film takes a more compassionate view of its subject and boasts a dynamic performance by real-life kickboxer Asanee Suwan.
The real-life kickboxer resists the obvious camp impulses and plays things more or less straight (he received Thailand's equivalent to the Oscar for his efforts), allowing Eckachai and his cameraman ample opportunity dress all the ringside action in a fittingly high-gloss luster.
Indie production and distribution outfit Here! Films has boxed out North American distribution rights to Beautiful Boxer from Australian-based sales outlet Arclight Films. The film centers on the true story of Thailand's famed transgender kickboxer Parinya Charoenphol, known as Nong Toom in his homeland. The film is scheduled to be released in the fall. Ekachai Uekrongtham directed the film, with Asanee Suwan toplining.
Bangkok International Film Festival
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Intriguingly blurring the lines between conventional notions of masculinity and femininity, "Beautiful Boxer" is a stirring, loosely fictionalized portrait of Thai kickboxing sensation Nong Toom, who decked his opponents while decked out in drag -- that is, until he earned enough money to pay for a full-fledged sex change operation.
Fitting into the relatively new but burgeoning genre of ladyboy cinema (see also 1999's "Iron Ladies") and screened as part of the Thai Panorama section of the Bangkok International Film Festival, the artfully assembled film is a genuine crowd pleaser and, given the right handling by the right distributor, could emerge as something of a Thai "Billy Elliot".
Directed by first-time filmmaker Ekachai Uekrongtham from a script he wrote with Desmond Sim Kim Chin, the energetic drama efficiently connects the formative dots that were to shape Toom's destiny -- he was convinced from a very early age that he was a girl trapped in a man's body -- starting from a childhood fascination with beautiful women and pageantry through to his teenage years as a traveling monk and on to grueling training in a Thai boxing camp, where he was to find his true calling.
Unlike the hit "Iron Ladies", which served up a volleyball team of drag queens, transvestites, transsexuals and a lone straight guy playing it mainly for laughs, Ekachai's film takes a more compassionate view of its subject and boasts a dynamic performance by real-life kickboxer Asanee Suwan.
The real-life kickboxer resists the obvious camp impulses and plays things more or less straight (he received Thailand's equivalent to the Oscar for his efforts), allowing Eckachai and his cameraman ample opportunity dress all the ringside action in a fittingly high-gloss luster.
BANGKOK, Thailand -- Intriguingly blurring the lines between conventional notions of masculinity and femininity, "Beautiful Boxer" is a stirring, loosely fictionalized portrait of Thai kickboxing sensation Nong Toom, who decked his opponents while decked out in drag -- that is, until he earned enough money to pay for a full-fledged sex change operation.
Fitting into the relatively new but burgeoning genre of ladyboy cinema (see also 1999's "Iron Ladies") and screened as part of the Thai Panorama section of the Bangkok International Film Festival, the artfully assembled film is a genuine crowd pleaser and, given the right handling by the right distributor, could emerge as something of a Thai "Billy Elliot".
Directed by first-time filmmaker Ekachai Uekrongtham from a script he wrote with Desmond Sim Kim Chin, the energetic drama efficiently connects the formative dots that were to shape Toom's destiny -- he was convinced from a very early age that he was a girl trapped in a man's body -- starting from a childhood fascination with beautiful women and pageantry through to his teenage years as a traveling monk and on to grueling training in a Thai boxing camp, where he was to find his true calling.
Unlike the hit "Iron Ladies", which served up a volleyball team of drag queens, transvestites, transsexuals and a lone straight guy playing it mainly for laughs, Ekachai's film takes a more compassionate view of its subject and boasts a dynamic performance by real-life kickboxer Asanee Suwan.
The real-life kickboxer resists the obvious camp impulses and plays things more or less straight (he received Thailand's equivalent to the Oscar for his efforts), allowing Eckachai and his cameraman ample opportunity dress all the ringside action in a fittingly high-gloss luster.
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.