Tin Mine wins best picture, best director at Thai film awards

I caught most of the Suphannahong Awards, the Thailand National Film Awards, on Thai Channel 7 last night. Here's the winners, with some of the nominees (if anyone can help me fill in the blanks, please leave a contact or e-mail me):

• Best Picture: The Tin Mine (GTH Films)
  • The Necromancer (RS Film)
  • Midnight My Love (Sahamongkol)
  • Hitman File (Sahamongkol)
  • Dear Dakanda (GTH Films)
• Best Director: Jira Maligool (The Tin Mine)
  • Khongdej Jaturanrassamee (Midnight My Love)
  • Komgrit Treewimol (Dear Dakanda)
  • Santi Taepanich (Crying Tigers)
  • Sananjit Bangsapan (Hit Man File)
• Best Actress: Narawan Techratanaprasert (Beautiful, Wonderful, Perfect)
  • Piyada Akaraseranee (The Remaker)
  • Sirapat Watanajinda (Dear Dakanda)
  • Woranut Wongsawan (Midnight My Love)
  • Janet Khiew (Yam Yasothon)
• Best Actor: Chatchai Plengpanich (The Necromancer; also nominated for Hitman File)
  • Petchtai Wongkamlao (Midnight My Love)
  • Sunny Suwanmethanon (Dear Dakanda)
  • Pijaya Vachajitpan (The Tin Mine)
• Best Supporting Actress: Sathida Khiewcha-um (Beautiful, Wonderful, Perfect)
• Best Supporting Actor: Sonthaya Chitmanee (The Tin Mine)
• Best Cinematography: Theerawat Rujinatham (Hitman File)
• Best Film Editing: Wichcha Kojew (Dear Dakanda)
• Best Visual Effects: Oriental Post (The Necromancer)
• Best Make Up: Withaya Deerattrakool (The Necromancer)
• Best Costume Design: Apinya Chawarangkool (The Tin Mine)
• Best Art Direction: Ek Iamchuen (The Tin Mine)
• Best Original Score: Chatchai Pongpraphaphan (Hit Man File)
• Best Original Song: "Nuen Nai Huajai Phor" by Sansaeb (Beautiful, Wonderful, Perfect)
• Best Sound: Nares Saraphassorn and Ram Indra Sound Studio (The Tin Mine)

A Lifetime Achievement Award was given to MC Chatrichalerm Yukol. They showed a montage of all his films, which stretch back into the '70s, all the way up to Suriyothai, making note of the social themes that his films touch on. Than Mui was not present at the ceremony, but his award was accepted by Sorapong Chatree, leading man in many of Chatrichalerm's films.

Special "Pride of Cinema" awards also went to Prachya Pinkaew and Tony Jaa, director and star of Ong-Bak and Tom Yum Goong, for making films that brought the Thai film industry world notoriety as well as being box-office hits.

Tony Jaa and a team of martial artists put on a reverent culture performance, featuring the double-handed swordfighting techniques.

The awards were handed out despite a controversy in which Napakapa "Mamee" Nakprasit challenged her nomination for best supporting actress, saying she was the starring actress in her film,Art of the Devil 2. The best actress winner was Narawan Techratanaprasert, 8-year-old daughter of Sahamongkol chief Somsak Techratanaprasert, who is also the head of the Federation of the National Film Association, which hands out the awards.

But I was glad to see the talented Janet Khiew nominated for best actress in Yam Yasothon, as well as Woranut Wongsuwan in Midnight, My Love and Sirapat Watanajinda for Dear Dakanda. And I was glad to see Mum Jokmok get some recognition with a best-actor nomination for his dramatic turn in Midnight My Love.

The ceremony was held on the beach at Khao Lak, a resort area near Phuket, which was devastated by the December 26, 2004 tsunami.

(Cross-posted at Rotten Tomatoes)