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美麗拳王
Beautiful Boxer

繼《人妖打排球》、《鬼妻》、《三更》泰國電影在香港引起一股風潮後，近期泰國電影再來一陣小旋風，包括由《人妖打排球》導演翁乙監製的《小情人》及於九月上映的話題電影《美麗拳王》。

本片根據冠軍泰拳拳手龍唐的傳奇事蹟，真人真事改編而成，享負盛名的他在擂台上打遍天下無敵手，英姿颯颯，但諷刺的是他努力賺錢原來並非要名成利就，而是要變性成為一個真正的女人。

雖然此片成本只是約二百五十萬美元（約一千九百五十萬港元），但電影正式在曼谷北部開拍以來，便一直備受各方注目。

《美麗拳王》去年率先在泰國上映，獲得影評讚好，而且今年初此片在有泰國奧斯卡之稱的2004年泰國電影學院頒獎禮中，勇奪兩大獎項，包括最佳男主角(Asanee Suwan)及獲最佳化妝設計。《美麗拳王》同時也是今年唯一一部泰國作品，獲選為歐洲三大影展之一柏林影展觀摩部份的參展電影，此片在當地引來極大迴響，所有場次的門票在影展開幕前已全部告罄，主辦大會為此特別加開額外場次供向隅觀眾欣賞。由於《美麗拳王》在柏林獲高度評價，最終連同其他十部柏林影展參展作品，在意大利舉行的特別盛會「柏林在羅馬」（Berlin in Rome）中再度展出。

《美麗拳王》同時也獲選為今年第二十八屆香港國際電影節及三藩市國際電影節的參展電影，在香港參展期間，此片是觀眾投票推選的最喜愛電影的三強之一。最近《美麗拳王》終在意大利的都靈國際同性戀電影節中獲選為最佳電影，摘下首個國際性殊榮。迄今此片已獲世界各地超過四十個國際電影節邀請參展。

《美麗拳王》今年四月在新加坡公映，瞬即成為當地歷來最高開畫票房的泰國電影，而且票房收入也比其他同期上映的香港及韓國等亞洲地區電影為高。此片將會在英國、法國、日本、香港及馬來西亞等歐、亞地區陸續上映，屆時定必在各地掀起熱潮。

龍唐是何許人？
在泰國家喻戶曉的龍唐（真名Parinya Charoenphol）生長於一個貧窮的遊牧家族，他童年時與家人四處為家，直至最後在泰國清邁定居。自幼便喜歡作女性打扮的他經常遭人欺負。龍唐在偶然機會下被泰拳教練看中入營受訓，十二歲便成為職業拳手，而且很快便展露其搏擊天份，一日他突然塗脂抹粉走上擂台，他的舉動自然招來揶揄及嘲弄，但最後他以清脆的勝利讓所有人都閉嘴，而其經理人也意識到這是絕佳的噱頭，因此鼓勵他繼續化妝打拳，加上他所向披靡的表現，二十二場比賽中勝出其中二十場，令他成為全國最知名的拳手。

然而龍唐最後選擇急流勇退，並於九九年把在擂台上辛苦賺回來的錢用於進行變性手術，由於女性不容許上擂台比賽，二十二歲的她現在於曼谷擔任演員、模特兒及泰拳導師。毫無疑問很多人都十分仰慕龍唐在擂台上的英勇，然而也有人鄙視他，認為他玷污了泰拳中剛陽和充滿男子氣慨的形象，但相信其對手及觀眾都難以忘記這名傳奇拳手在擂台上施展飛腿及左�u拳等絕技時的雄姿。

導演亞格差在龍唐接受變性手術後不久曾與她見面，他坦言之前對她有先入為主的觀念，但見面後他完全改觀，對龍唐的為人感到很驚奇。對整個拍攝過程也有莫大幫助，他說：「龍唐是此片的顧問，她提供很多寶貴意見。然而當電影完成後，最初她不敢看，後來她終決定出席優先試映場，但卻忍不住落淚。她是一個文靜、簡單、高貴及像淑女的一個女性。」

電影背後意義深遠
亞格差最初曾猶豫是否開拍本片，但他發現龍唐這個威猛男士夢想成為女人的傳奇故事絕對是上佳的電影題材，故終決定毅然開拍。事實上本片除了拳拳到肉充滿娛樂性的打鬥場面，還有更值得深思的意義，在本片開拍之初，亞格差就已表示：「這個故事是講述一個富感情的人深信自己錯生在男兒身，他決心為自己的夢想而奮鬥。」而龍唐本人則說：「你不能夠選擇你如何出生，但你能夠選擇變成怎樣，及讓社會接受你的作風，這就是從此片學習到的東西。」

其實導演亞格差選擇電影這媒介實是明智之舉，因為泰國的審查部門對電視節目的限制較為嚴謹，相反在電影作品中則有較多空間描寫變性人這個弱勢社群。有泰國大學學者指出，由於電視在當地是一個較受歡迎的媒介，政府對於電視節目關於變性人的描寫比較敏感，所以電視上變性人角色通常只會在喜劇中出現，或只是一些閒角，電視製作人不會製作以變性人角色為主角的節目，他們害怕觀眾會跟風模仿。

相對而言，電影是變性人角色尋求突破的好地方，再加上2001年《人妖打排球》空前賣座，更成為製作本片的契機。其實現在變性人在泰國社會中已較以往自由，她們過去總被定型在髮廊中工作或在酒吧跳豔舞，但現在她們有機會在銀行甚至政府部門中工作，開始受到社會大眾重視，相信本片的成功會正如導演所願，能喚起大家更關注變性人這個在性別上的小數民族。

冠軍拳手當男主角
為求找尋最佳人選扮演主角龍唐，電影公司在全國進行公開甄選，吸引了來自泰國超過四十個省共三百人參加試鏡，最終同樣是冠軍拳手的Asanee Suwan從眾多候選人中脫穎而出。亞格差表示他們用了三個月時間走遍泰國找尋合適人選，他坦言一早已決定找一名專業拳手扮演這角色，因他自己難以教導一名普通演員如何能打得真實，而Asanee與龍唐同樣在泰國清邁成長，口音相似，二人也是在十二歲便成為拳手，最重要Asanee的演出十分真摯，因此由他來飾演龍唐是最適合不過。

Asanee足足花了一年時間作準備功夫，他學習演戲、上芭蕾舞課及揣摩如何演繹傳統泰國街頭劇，其後他又須參與專為選美佳麗而設的儀容打扮課程。電影未正式開拍前，Asanee還要接受嚴謹的皮膚及身體護理，包括去除體毛。此外，他減去了大量體重及肌肉，務求令其外型更加女性化。而龍唐也與Asanee進行單對單訓練，幫助他熟練她每場比賽前表演的獨有跳舞儀式。

由於大部份泰拳拳手的高峰期都在二十四、五歲左右，之後便開始走下坡，因此二十三歲的Asanee已決定退休，他坦言主演本片兼當上泰國影帝後，平常出外對自己的言行格外小心，而且他也透過這次演出對女性有更深入的認識。

演員陣容別出心裁
其實除了主角Asanee Suwan外，本片其他在擂台上與龍唐對敵的拳手，現實生活中他們全都是職業拳手，因此片中的搏擊場面自然拍得更為迫真。其中九八年十一月龍唐曾到日本東京與當地著名女摔角手井上京子進行了一場別開生面的比賽，而這位曾出賽超過三千場摔角賽的傳奇女鬥士獲邀請在本片粉墨登場，與由Asanee Suwan扮演的龍唐再次在東京巨蛋體育館一決高下。而片中龍唐其餘十個對手在現實中合共出賽超過一千場拳賽，經驗非常豐富。

另一方面，扮演龍唐教練的是在泰國影壇享負盛名獲獎無數、有泰國羅拔迪尼路稱號的Sorapong Chatree，而前泰國小姐Orn-Anong Panyawong則飾演龍唐的母親。

搏擊場面迫真生動
亞格差處理本片的打鬥場面別樹一熾，首先他找來九八年曾在音樂劇《張與英》中合作過的泰國著名泰拳教練Sanae Tupthimtong擔任武術指導，而且沒有利用角度借位拍攝，拳拳到肉，而且導演尤其喜以緊密及特寫的鏡頭，再配合激烈而富色彩的打鬥場面，增加畫面的視覺效果。

由於參演本片的演員大都是身經百戰的職業拳手，他們使出很多古代泰拳技巧，以真功夫拍攝打鬥場面，然而在首日拍攝，男主角Asanee Suwan在第一個拍攝鏡頭，已把其對手狠狠擊倒。導演亞格差在曼谷國際電影節接受訪問時回憶說：「我當時想這個演員的演出的確很真實，但之後我才意識到他真的是電影外行，無疑我想畫面拍得真實，但絕對不希望有任何人因拍攝而死亡。」

出品公司早有佳作
在泰國具領導地位的多媒體娛樂集團GMM Grammy旗下的GMM電影公司，年前開始在影壇大展拳腳，首部計劃開拍的電影就是《美麗拳王》，不過最終率先登場的是2002年上映的《湄公河月滿奇蹟》，此片除在泰國電影協會頒獎禮中勇奪最佳電影、最佳導演及最佳男主角等九項大獎外，也獲去年第二十七屆香港國際電影節大會邀請參展，而且更榮獲國際影評人聯盟獎的特別表揚獎，獲得一致好評。GMM電影公司其後在去年2月再推出電影《February》。

導演簡介
亞格差烏干騰（Ekachai Uekrongtham）
在泰國出生的亞格差，是新加坡戲劇界知名導演，他創立了現時在新加坡數一數二的專業戲劇公司Action Theatre，現擔任該公司藝術總監。亞格差的代表作首推根據一對暹羅孿生姊妹的真人真事改編而成的音樂劇《張與英》，這個劇由他執導及監製，是映期最長的新加坡本土製作音樂劇，受歡迎程度不亞於舉世知名的音樂劇《Cats》。亞格差曾在新加坡、中國、美國、馬來西亞及家鄉泰國執導及監製過無數舞台劇及音樂劇。

曾被《亞洲周刊》選為二十位千禧年社會及文化領袖之一的亞格差，是投資拍攝本片的GMM電影公司創作及發展部主管，同時也掌管曾監製多部著名音樂劇包括《歌聲魅影》、《孤星淚》、《西貢小姐》及《Cats》的知名監製Cameron Mackintosh在新加坡設立的本部。

雖然《美麗拳王》是亞格差首部執導的電影長片，但其實他在1991年曾自編自導長二十八分鐘的短片《The Nose》，同年此片入圍競逐新加坡國際電影節最佳新加坡短片。

演員簡介
Asanee Suwan
與他扮演的故事主人翁龍唐一樣，現年二十三歲的Asanee Suwan十二歲便當上職業拳手，他在泰國及丹麥共出賽接近二百場，並勝出其中絕大部份賽事。Asanee在世界泰拳理事會的一百一十八磅級別中排名第五位，並於2001年獲泰國北部泰拳協會選為最佳拳手，他也分別在1994年及2000年贏得新人賽冠軍及羽量級冠軍。《美麗拳王》是Asanee首部拍攝的電影，他更憑此片榮膺本年度「泰國奧斯卡」影帝。

導演： 亞格差烏干騰（Ekachai Uekrongtham） 《The Nose》（編、導、監製）

《美麗拳王》各地影評

「與《人妖打排球》不同，亞格差的作品以較富同情心的角度，而拳手Asanee Suwan的表現充滿活力。」
－《The Hollywood Reporter》（美國）
"Unlike "Iron Ladies"…, Ekachai's film take a more compassionate view of its subject and boasts a dynamic performance by real-life kickboxer Asanee Suwan"
-The Hollywood Reporter (USA)

「從觀摩環節中脫穎而出，今年柏林影展其中一部最富活力的電影。亞格差烏干騰的《美麗拳王》是一個關於一名泰國人妖拳手的真實故事。」
－路透社／《The Hollywood Reporter》（美國）
"One of the most dynamic films in Berlin this year emerged from the Panarama section. Ekachai Uekrongtham's 美麗拳王 is the true story of a transvestite kickboxer in Thailand."
-Reuters/The Hollywood Reporter (USA)

「《美麗拳王》證明事實也可以同樣瘋狂，或者比小說更能打動人心！」
－《三藩市海灣�}報》（美國）
"美麗拳王 proves truth can be as wild, and perhaps more poignant than fiction! "
-San Francisco Bay Guardian (USA)

「Asanee Suwan親身上陣演出擂台搏擊場面，他能感動別人，他知道自己在做甚麼。此外，他的化妝扮相也相當好看。」
－《三藩市海灣時報》（美國）
"Asanee Suwan cones into his own in the professional boxing-ring scenes… This guy can move, and he knows what he's doing. On top of that, he looks good in makeup!"
-San Francisco Bay Times (USA)

「Asanee的演出實在太有說服力，你不禁會感到疑惑，現實生活中他是否也是一個人妖！」
－《新報》（新加坡）
"Asanee is so convincing that you can't help but wonder if he's a transvestite in real life too!"

「一部給人留下深刻印象的出色電影！」
－《街趣報》（新加坡）
"A knockout film!"
-Streat (Singapore)

「導演亞格差烏干騰的打鬥場面就像極棒的芭蕾舞。」
－notesfromhollywood.com（美國）
"Director Ekachai Uekrongtham's fight sequences screen like a brutal ballet…"
-notesfromhollywood.com (USA)

「亞格差烏干騰的《美麗拳王》，向國際觀眾證明泰國電影的長處和高質素。」
－《電影期刊》（美國）
"Ekachai Uekrongtham's 美麗拳王 provides the evidence to an international audience of the strength and high quality of Thai films."
-The Film Journal (USA)

「毫無疑問是遠東電影節其中一個最突出的驚喜！」
"No doubt one of the (Far East Film) Festival's most prominent surprises!"
－《韓國時報》（韓國）
-Korea Times (Korea)

Production Notes

Official Website: www.beautifulboxer.com

SYNOPSIS

Based on the true story of Thailand's famed transvestite kickboxer, Beautiful Boxer is a poignant action drama that punches straight into the heart and mind of a boy who fights like a man so he can become a woman.

Believing he's a girl trapped in a boy's body since childhood, Parinya Charoenphol (affectionately known as Nong Toom in Thailand) sets out to master the most masculine and lethal sport of Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing) to earn a living and to achieve his ultimate goal of total femininity. Touching, funny and packed with breathtaking Thai kickboxing scenes, Beautiful Boxer traces Nong Toom's childhood, teenage life as a traveling monk, grueling days in boxing camps and explosive matches where he knocks out most of his opponents across Thailand and Japan.

THE CAST

Starring real-life kickboxing champ Asanee Suwan in the lead role, Beautiful Boxer also features acclaimed performances by award-winning veteran actor Sorapong Chatree (Thailand's 'Robert De Niro) in the role of Nong Toom's coach and former Miss Thailand Orn-Anong Panyawong in the role of Nong Toom's mother.

A professional boxer since 12, Asanee Suwan has fought in nearly 200 matches in Thailand and Denmark, and won in most of them. Ranked No. 5 by the World Muay Thai Council in the 118 pound category, he was also named the Best Kickboxer by the Association of Muay Thai for the Northern Region of Thailand in 2001. Other boxing accolades include the 2000 Feather Weight Champion (Association of Muay Thai for the Northern Region) and the 1994 Rising Star 29kg Champion (Cholburee province).

Discovered through nation-wide open auditions which attracted people from all walks of life from more than 40 provinces across Thailand, Asanee had to spend nearly a year preparing for the role of Nong Toom. He attended acting, movement and ballet classes; took likay (traditional Thai street opera) lessons; and went through an intensive personality grooming course usually reserved for beauty queens. Before filming certain pivotal scenes in the film, he was also required to stick to a strict skin and body care regime which include numerous body scrub and hair removal sessions. In addition, he had to lose substantial amount of weight and muscle to make himself physically more feminine. Nong Toom herself also gave Asanee one-to-one training sessions to help him perfect her trademark dance rituals which she performed before every boxing match.

Kyoko Inoue, Japan's top female wrestler was invited to play herself in the film. A seasoned wrestler with more than 3,000 wrestling matches to her credit, Kyoko has fought with Nong Toom in real life in Tokyo on 24 November 1988.

That historical match was reenacted in the film's spectacular fight sequence shot in Japan's Tokyo Dome, one of the world's largest indoor stadiums. Nong Toom's ten other opponents in the movie were also played by real-life professional kickboxers. Together, these professional kickboxers have chalked up more than 1,000 professional bouts in their respective boxing careers.

The fight choreography in the film was created in conjunction with one of Thailand's top Muay Thai teachers Sanae Tupthimtong. He has collaborated with Uekrongtham in 1998 to create fight choreography between the original Siamese Twins and the villagers in Chang & Eng - The Musical.

DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

"I was hesitant to make a film about Nong Toom's life at first. I'd heard of her and was intrigued by her story. To me, she's a walking paradox: a lethal kickboxer who fights like a man but dreams of becoming a woman. The conflicts within such a young person must have been extraordinary, I thought. There's certainly a fertile ground there for a great deal of dramatic exploration. But I was not sure if I'd be able to find an emotional anchor in her controversial story for myself, for the audience.

My first meeting with Nong Toom took place not long after she had her sex change operation. Admittedly, I went to that meeting with some pre-conceived ideas about who she is, the boy she was, and the man she used to be. She surprised me.

So here it is… a story of a human being who goes on an incredible emotional journey to try to match his heart with his body. Masculinity vs. Femininity. Heart vs. Head. Dream vs. Reality. Fighting vs. Living."

- Ekachai Uekrongtham

DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY

Ekachai Uekrongtham is Singapore-based theatre director and founding artistic director of ACTION Theatre, one of Singapore's premier professional theatre companies. Best known for conceptualizing, directing and producing Chang & Eng, the acclaimed stage musical based upon the true story of the original Siamese Twins and Singapore's longest running homegrown musical, Uekrongtham has directed and produced numerous productions of plays and musicals in Singapore, China, America, Malaysia and Thailand. These include Corporate Animals - The Musical, Ka-Ra-you-OK?, Viva Viagra!, Autumn Tomyam, Mail Order Brides & Other Oriental Takeaways and Confessions of Three Unmarried Women.

In addition, he has directed Asian premiere productions of Margaret Edson's Wit, Craig Lucas' Prelude to a Kiss and A.R. Gurney's Love Letters. A recipient of the Singapore Youth Award and the Culture Award presented by the JCCI Foundation in Singapore, Uekrongtham was named one of the 20 Leaders of the New Millennium for Society & Culture by Asiaweek. Uekrongtham has also headed Creative & Development Unit of GMM Pictures, the film arm of Thailand's largest entertainment conglomerate GMM Grammy Public Company, and the Singapore headquarter of Sir Cameron Mackintosh, international producer of Les Mis�mrables and Miss Saigon. Beautiful Boxer is his feature film debut.

ABOUT REAL-LIFE NONG TOOM

He is now a she. In real life, Nong Toom's dream has come true after undergoing a sex-change operation in 1999.

Now a model, actress and Muay Thai teacher based in Bangkok, Nong Toom can no longer fight in the ring as women are not allowed in professional boxing rings for men in Thailand.

Born into a poor family of nomads, Nong Toom spent his childhood traveling around the country with his family before settling down in Chiangmai province in the Northern part of Thailand. Prior to his big match in Bangkok in February 1998, he'd won 20 out of 22 matches in many provinces. He's feared by his opponents for his trademark swooping kicks, flying elbows and stinging uppercuts. His deadly prowess in the ring made it hard for the public to understand his ambition of becoming a woman.

Undoubtedly one of Thailand's best known kickboxers, Nong Toom is admired by many for his courage and despised by others who accused him of tarnishing the masculine image of Thai kickboxing.

AWARDS & REVIEWS

Beautiful Boxer was awarded two 2004 Thai "Oscars" (Supannahongsa Awards) for Best Actor (Asanee Suwan) and Best Makeup Design. It was also an Official Selection of the 2004 Berlin International Film Festival in the Panorama section and the only Thai film at this year's Panorama. All tickets to the screenings in Berlin were sold out before the Festival began, and an additional screening has to be added. The film also attracted wide critical acclaim and was subsequently picked for "Berlin in Rome", a special event in the Italian capital where 11 selected films from the Berlin International Film Festival were screened.

In addition, Beautiful Boxer was officially selected for this year's San Francisco International Film Festival and Hong Kong International Film Festival. In Hong Kong, the film was one of the top three highest rated films in the People's Choice Awards Poll. More recently, Beautiful Boxer won the first prize in the International Competition section of this year's Turin International Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival. To date, the film has also been invited to more than 40 festivals around the world.

Beautiful Boxer was released in cinemas in Singapore in April 2004. It became the Thai film with the biggest box office opening week in that country. The film also out-grossed all other Asian films from Hong Kong and Korea which opened during that same week. Following the theatrical release in Singapore, the film will be released in cinemas in other countries including United Kingdom, France, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Iceland, Indonesia and Vietnam.

CAST, CREDITS & TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

GMM PICTURES
presents

A Spicy Apple Film Production

An EKACHAI UEKRONGTHAM Film

BEAUTIFUL BOXER

Cast
ASANEE SUWAN (as Nong Toom Parinya Charoenphol)
SORAPONG CHATREE (as Pi Chart)
ORN-ANONG PANYAWONG (as Nong Toom's Mother)
KYOKO INOUE (as Japanese female wrestler Kyoko Inoue)
SITIPORN NIYOM (as Nat)
YUKA HYODO (as Japanese fan)
KEAGAN KANG (as Reporter Jack)
NUKKID BOONTHONG (as Nong Toom's Father)

Music & Sound Design
AMORNBHONG METHAKUNBUDH

Costume Designer
TASAKORN TRAGULPADETKRAI

Film Editor
DUSANEE PUINONGPHO

Production Designer
NOPPHADOL ARKART

Director of Photography
CHOOCHART NANTITANYATADA

Line Producer
ARPORN PINIJKHAR

Executive Producers
PHAIBOON DAMRONGCHAIYATHAM
BOOSABA DAOREONG
CHOOPHONG RATTANABANTHOON
EKACHAI UEKRONGTHAM

Screenplay by
EKACHAI UEKRONGTHAM
DESMOND SIM KIM JIN
Directed & Produced by
EKACHAI UEKRONGTHAM

2003/Thailand/35mm/Colour/1:1.85/Dolby Surround EX/118 minutes/6 reels

REVIEWS

"Intriguingly blurring the lines between conventional notions of
masculinity and femininity, Beautiful Boxer is a
STIRRING PORTRAIT
of Thai kickboxing sensation Nong Toom.

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 Jin,
THE ENERGETIC DRAMA
efficiently connects the formative dots that were to shape Toom's destiny…

Unlike "Iron Ladies"…, Ekachai's film takes a more
COMPASSIONATE VIEW
of its subject and boasts a
DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE
by real-life kickboxer Asanee Suwan."

- The Hollywood Reporter (USA)

"Certain to become
A MUST-SEE
on the festival circuit, Beautiful Boxer has the
SMARTS AND IMAGINATION
to gain wide theatrical distribution around the world,
initially as a curio, of course, but news of its artistic achievement
will draw a much wider audience to
THIS FASCINATING FILM.

The fight choreography has raw energy, which the director
often slows down to catch the exact moment
when the fight belongs to Nong Toom. This also produces a
BALLET-LIKE QUALITY
to the violence that only underscores
the masculine/feminine dichotomy to the action.

Suwan accomplishes the difficult feat of
suggesting the male and female sides To this character
while performing the boxing maneuvers with
SUPERB DEXTERITY.

Here is a person fighting larger and
more frightening demons outside of the ring than in.

The movie almost writes its own tagline:
'He fights like a man to become a woman," or 'Rocky with lipstick.'

All technical aspects of this move are
FIRST RATE,
which points to the rapid evolution of cinema in what has become
an increasingly interesting corner of the movie world."

- Reuters Film Review (USA)

"Captured the audience in just a matter of minutes.
An extraordinary story told with
COMPASSION AND PLENTIFUL HUMOR.
The kickboxing sequences are
DYNAMIC, GRACEFUL…
possessing the aesthetics equivalent to what one would experience
at a most brilliantly choreographed dance performance."

- Berliner Morgenpost (Germany)

"Thailand's famous transvestite boxer is immortalized in a new movie.

Beautiful Boxer is a
HEARTWARMING TALE
of a woman trapped in a man's body... Asanee gives a
BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE,
both as a shy boy-girl in the masculine, sweaty-body world of
kickboxing camp, and as a tormented androgynous star
struggling with his sexuality…"

- Associated Press (Thailand)

"One of the
MOST DYNAMIC
films in Berlin this year emerged from
the Panarama section. Ekachai Uekrongtham's Beautiful Boxer
is the true story of a transvestite kickboxer in Thailand.
This first film by one of the country's leading stage directors
does not play the story for camp or sensationalism but rather is an
ARTISTIC INVESTIGATION INTO A DIVIDED SOUL.

The film not only calls into question ingrained notions of
WHAT CONSTITUNES MASCULINITY AND FEMININITY
but the degree to which the distinction between athletics
and show business has blurred."

- Reuters/The Hollywood Reporter (USA)

"Asian films have made more significant inroads into Berlin.
Beautiful Boxer, by Thai director Ekachai Uekrongtham,
has sentiments - and kickboxing - on its side."

- The Times (UK)

"MOVING… INTRIGUING…
Features a
PHENOMENAL PERFORMANCE
by Asanee Suwan, both fierce and feminine as Toom,
a champion kickboxer who becomes a woman.
Director Ekachai Uekrongtham fills his debut feature
with lush scenery and beautifully choreographed fight scenes.

THERE'S GREAT DELICACY
to a sequence where finely tuned athletes,
shrouded by morning fog, command their boies in unison.
IT'S MASCARA AS THE ULTIMATE WAR PAINT!"

- San Francisco Chronicle (USA)

"Beautiful Boxer proves truth can be as wild,
and perhaps more poignant than fiction!
First-time director Ekachai Uekrongtham -
as capable of finding dynamism in a makeup case as he is
at capturing the aesthetic beauty of Muaythai moves -
faithfully visualizes Nong Toom's life.

The result is
A TEARJERKER THAT KICKS ASS!"

- San Francisco Bay Guardian (USA)

"HAUNTING… GORGEOUSLY PHOTOGRAPHED!

Director Ekachai Uekrongtham delivers
A CONVINCING PORTRAIT
of a man driven… against all odds,
combined with the aesthetic beauty and grace
of this most brutal of sports.

RAGING PUSSY!"

- Bay Area Reporter (USA)

"A SURE-FIRE NARRATIVE FICTION TREAT!

A rare peek into the hidden side (of Thailand)!"

- East Bay Express (USA)

"TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!

This Thai movie is completely sincere and
without any trace of camp.

Asanee Suwan comes into his own in the
professional boxing-ring scenes… This guy can move,
and he knows what he's doing.

On top of that, he looks good in makeup!"

- San Francisco Bay Times (USA)

"THIS BEAUTIFUL BOXER IS A KNOCKOUT!

Asanee is SO CONVINCING that you can't help
but wonder if he's a transvestite in real life too!

A VERY BEAUTIFUL MOVIE!"

- The New Paper (Singapore)

"A KNOCKOUT FILM!

Played with FEMININE SENSITIVITY by
newcomer Asanee Suwan, himself a champion boxer.

Uekrongtham eschews cheap transvestite jokes
to concentrate on Charoenphol's joys and sorrows
en route to becoming a woman.

ENDEARING!"

- Streats (Singapore)

"POIGNANT! HEARTBREAKING! INSPIRING!

Instead of all camp in the vein of Thai movies on transvestites,
Uekrongtham focuses on
POWERFUL STORYTELLING
to do justice to the riveting narrative.

While Uekrongtham's artistic touch is obvious
in the visual presentation of the film, it is
BEAUTY OF THE HUMAN HEART
that the director is deft at portraying.

REALISTIC BOXING MATCHES!

GRITTY! EXPLOSIVE!

Asanee's moving portrayal of Nong Toom's
tough emotional journey… is
TRULY UPLIFTING!"

- Today (Singapore)

"Beautiful Boxer… boasts
A BRILLIANT AND BRAVE PERFORMANCE
from lead actor Asanee Suwan (actually a pro boxer
with no previous acting experience)."

- kamera.co.uk (UK)

"Director Ekachai Uekrongtham's fight sequences screen like
A BRUTAL BALLET…

Beautiful Boxer offers a rare glimpse of an individual's struggle
to be true to his or her self, at whatever price."

- notesfromhollywood.com (USA)

"Ekachai Uekrongtham's Beautiful Boxer provided the evidence
to an international audience of the
STRENGHT AND HIGH QUALITY OF THAI FILMS."

- The Film Journal (USA)

"No doubt one of the (Far East Film) Festival's
MOST PROMINENT SURPRISES!

A feel-good movie!

It tells the real-life tale of a young Muay Thai kick boxer…
with LAUDABLE SENSITIVITY
and without ever indulging into sensationalism."

- Korea Times (Korea)

"Beautifully shot, it is extremely well-balanced,
with amazingly-choreographed action scenes,
tender moments with family and friends, and points of light humor
as well as extreme pain, loneliness, and isolation.

The color, lighting, and beautiful movement of Thai kickboxing is
DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO BE EXPERIENCED
ON THE BIG SCREEN!"

- Entertainment Insiders (USA)

註：以上資訊由片主或其推廣代表提供。本網並不保證此等資訊是否正確。
Note: The information above is provided by the owners of the film or their agents who are responsible for the promotion of the film. We do not guarantee the accuracy of such information.

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