The steamy period romance Chua Fah Din Salai (Eternity) was the biggest winner at the National Federation of Film Associations of Thailand's Suphannahongsa Awards (รางวัลภาพยนตร์แห่งชาติ สุพรรณหงส์) on Sunday at SFX Cinemas at Central Festival Pattaya.
Director ML Bhandevanop Devakul's lush romantic thriller won five awards, including Best Picture for Sahamongkol Film International. Leading man Ananda Everingham, also nominated for The Red Eagle, took best actor. Chua Fah Din Salai also won for costume design, art direction and film editing.
Chua Fah Din Salai was the top nominee and had generally been favored to win most of the hardware in the industry-leaning awards, but there were a few surprises.
Indie filmmaker Uruphong Raksasad took the prizes for director and cinematography for Agrarian Utopia, a vividly lensed documentary on the hardships of a pair of rice-farming families.
And the best actress prize went to newcomer leading lady Neungtida Sophon from the GTH romantic comedy Guan Muen Ho (Hello Stranger). She broke into tears during the ceremony.
Supporting actor and actress Sa-ad Piampongsan and Inthira Charoeonpura from the Buddhist crime thriller Nak Prok (Shadow of the Naga) completed their sweep of the awards season, winning the top industry awards.
Rao Song Sam Khon (That Sounds Good), the road-trip romance from upstart studio M-Thirtynine took the best screenplay prize for director "Leo" Kittikorn Liawsirikul as well as best song.
Another top nominee was Wisit Sasanatieng's gritty and violent superhero thriller Insee Dang (The Red Eagle), and it won for visual effects.
Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives was oddly cut out of the running for best picture, director and screenplay prizes – the Cannes Palme d'Or winner had picked up top honors from other Thai film awards – but it did win for sound recording.
The 20th annual awards were held under the theme of "Thai Films ... The Leader of Creative Economy".
Honorary awards were given to veteran studio executives Somsak "Sia Jiang" Techarattanaprasert of Sahamongkol Film and Charoen Iamphungporn of Five Star Production (neither of whom showed up).
Here's the list of winners:
- Visual effects: Kantana Animation, Insee Dang (The Red Eagle)
- Make up: 9 Wat
- Costume Design: Noppadon Techo, Totrit Samipak, Rapan Chancharoen, Chua Fah Din SalaiEternity)
- Art direction: Siranat Ratchusanti, Chua Fah Din Salai (Eternity)
- Score: Paphassilp Keetawongwat, Samurai of Ayodhya
- Best song: "เรา สอง สาม คน" by Banana Boat, Rao Song Sam Khon (That Sounds Good)
- Sound recording: Chalermrat Kaweewattana, Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr, Lung Boonmee Raluek Chat (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives)
- Film editing: Sunij Asavinikul, Phannipha Kabillikavanich, Chua Fah Din Salai (Eternity)
- Cinematography: Uruphong Raksasad, Sawan Baan Na (Agrarian Utopia)
- Screenplay: "Leo" Kittikorn Liawsirikul, Rao Song Sam Khon (That Sounds Good)
- Supporting actress: Inthira Charoeonpura, Nak Prok (Shadow of the Naga)
- Supporting actor: Sa-ad Piampongsan, Nak Prok (Shadow of the Naga)
- Actress: Neungtida Sophon, Guan Muen Ho (Hello Stranger)
- Actor: Ananda Everingham, Chua Fah Din Salai (Eternity)
- Director: Uruphong Raksasad, Sawan Baan Na (Agrarian Utopia)
- Best Pictured: Chua Fah Din Salai (Eternity), Sahamongkol Film International
(Via Manager, Nation Channel)
It is not difficult to understand the mindset of the judges for not giving Best Picture or Best Director awards for Uncle Boonmee, not to mention that they do not want to put it in the list of films nominated for those two awards.
ReplyDeleteThe film is inaccessible to most viewers, to Thais and foreigners alike. My Thais and non-Thai all left the theaters scratching their heads when they watched it at the limited screening in Bangkok few months back. I did not bother as I had to switch the DVD player off after watching his earlier film.
You got to understand that Suphannahong is an award for films that can reach wide level of audiences. Wonderful Town while is an Indie film can reach wide group of audience. Apichatpong's films on the other hand leaves most people scratching their heads after they come out of the theater.
While, I respect Apichatpong for his courageous political stance, I think his films are too abstract and are not meant for general consumption. Well, he says it himself many times that his films are, not for mass consumption, for his targeted group of film viewers.