Laddaland, Headshot top nominees for 21st Subhanahongsa Awards

The Thai film industry's equivalent of the Oscars, the 21st Subhanahongsa Awards, a.k.a. the Thailand National Film Awards (รางวัลภาพยนตร์แห่งชาติ สุพรรณหงส์) are set for April 29 at the Siam Pavalai theater at Paragon Cineplex.

The top nominee is GTH's psychological-ghost thriller Laddaland, a tale of family dysfunction in a haunted housing development. It scored 14 nominations across the 16 categories, including Best Picture, Best Director for Sophon Sakdaphisit and Best Screenplay, as well as Best Actor, Actress and Supporting Actress for Saharat Sangkhapreecha, Piyathida Worramusik and Suthatta Udomsilp.

Pen-ek Ratanaruang's Headshot (Fon Tok Kuen Fah), which has been the big winner at other Thai film awards this season, has 12 nominations, including Best Picture for Local Color, Best Director and Best Screenplay. "Peter" Noppachai Jayanama is a nominee for Best Actor for his portrayal of a hitman who sees everything upside down.

Up for eight awards is Pumpuang (The Moon), the biopic on the tragic life of the late luk thung singer Pumpuang Duanchan. It's up for Best Picture and Best Screenplay as well as Best Actress for Paowalee Pornpimol, making her big-screen debut, and Supporting Actor for Nattawat Sakidjai.

U Mong Pa Mueang (The Outrage), ML Bhandevanop Devakula's lavish adaptation of Akira Kurasawa's Rashomon, scored seven nominations, mainly in the techical categories, such as cinematography, score, production design and costumes. Radklao Amaradit is up for best supporting actress for her scene-stealing turn as the medium who channels the spirit of a dead nobleman in a mountaintop murder trial.

Also with seven nods is M-Thirtynine's 30 Kamlung Jaew, including Best Director for Somjing Srisuparb, Best Screenplay, Best Actor for Phuphoom Pongpanu and Best Actress for "Aum" Patcharapa Chaichuea.

The monastic mystery thriller Mindfulness and Murder got five nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Tom Waller, whose De Warrenne Pictures has produced such movies as Soi Cowboy and The Elephant King. Mindfulness is also nominated for Best Screenplay, Best Actor for Vithaya Pansringarm and Best Supporting Actor for "Kuck" Wannasak Sirilar.

Also with five nominations is the traditional-dance drama Kon Khon, including supporting actor and actress nominations for Nirut Sirichanya and Pimolrat Pisalayabuth. Though it was panned critically, Kon Khon was the Thai film industry's official submission to the Oscars.

GTH’s teen-oriented box-office blockbusters Top Secret Wairoon Pun Lan (The Billionaire) and Suckseed Huay Khun Thep have three nods apiece including Best Director for Songyos Sugmakanan for Top Secret and Top Secret's Somboonsook “Piak Poster” Niyomsiri competing with his co-star Patchara Chirathiwat who's a supporting-actor nominee for Suckseed.

Also scoring three nominations is Yuthlert Sippapak's hitman thriller Friday Killers (Mha Kae Untarai), including a best-actor nod for veteran comedian Thep Po-ngam for his solidly dramatic performance as an ageing gunman.

Indie studio Pop Pictures scored two nominations for a pair of fixtures from the festival circuit that saw commercial releases in Thailand last year: Sivaroj Kongsakul’s Tee-Rak (Eternity), which is up for Best Picture, and Aditya Assarat’s Hi-So, which got a nod for Best Cinematography by Umpornpol Yugala.

Other nominees are Gangcore Gud, 30+ Sode on Sale, Sop Dek 2002, Bangkok Sweety, Panya Reanu, Rak Jad Nak (Love, Not Yet) and Khob Khun Thee Rak Kan (Loving Me, Loving You).

This year, the lifetime achievement award goes to a veteran actor-director Adul Dulyarat, perhaps best known internationally for his role as an elderly, dying court musician who tells his life story in 2004's The Overture.

Here's the list of nominees:

Special effects

• Fat Cat Ltd., Gancore Gud
• Magic Wand, Laddaland
• Kantana Animation, Headshot
• Artaya Boonsoong, The Outrage

Make-up

• Thanawutthi Busamsai, Thitirat Chueamueangphan, Gancore Gud
• Pugij Yiamchavee, Natchanan Kitikriengkrai, Koh Khon
• Pichet Wongjansom, Laddaland
• Phatthira Phuthisuraset, Headshot
• Montri Wadia-Iad, The Outrage

Costumes

• Thonsan Aiyaretkon, Panya Reanu
• Ekasith Meeprasertsakul, Pumpuang
• Watsana Benchachat, Laddaland
• Visa Kongka, Headshot
• Noppadon Techo, The Outrage

Production design

• Dusit Yapakawong, Thiranan Chanthakhat, Pumphuang
• Wuttinun Sujaritpong, Laddaland
• Wittaya Chaimongkol, Headshot
• Phattharik Misaiyat, Niti Samittasing, The Outrage
• Nopphadot Arkart, 30 Kamlung Jaew

Score

• Chesata Sukkhathramon, Chaiyoot Tosa-nga, Ratchasak Rueangchai, Kon Khon
• Hualampong Riddim, Laddaland
• Vichaya Vatanasapt, Headshot
• Chatchai Pongprapaphan, The Outrage
• Vichaya Vatanasapt, Hualampong Riddim, 30 Kamlung Jaew

Song

• "Hon Huay Day ”, Panya Reanu
• “Man Kong Pen Kwam Rak”, "Stamp" Apiwat Euthavornsuk, 30 Kamlung Jaew
• “Meua Wan Wayla Kong Rao Map Mjop Gan”, Prapat Chonsaranon, Chakphat Iamnun, 30+ Singles on Sale
• “Sapawa Ting Tua”, "Dan" Worrawech Danuwong, Bangkok Sweety
• “Tum Yoo Nai Jai”, SuckSeed

Sound

• Sunij Asavinikul, Ramindra Sound, Kon Khon
• Sunij Asavinikul, Ramindra Sound, Pumpuang
• Kantana Laboratory, Laddaland
• Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr, Richard Hocks, Headshot
• Red Snapper, Friday Killers

Editing

• Sunij Asavinikul, Phannipha Kabillikavanich, Pumpuang
• Nagamon Boonrod, Phuriphan Phuphaibun, Thammarat Sumethsupachok, Laddaland
• MR Patamanadda Yukol, Headshot
• Sasikarn Suwansuthi, Top Secret Wairoon Pun Lan
• Panayu Kunvanlee, SuckSeed

Cinematography

• Kittiawat Semarat, Laddaland
• Chankit Chamnivikaipong, Headshot
• Tiwa Moetaisong, Friday Killers
• Panom Promchard, The Outrage
• MR Umpornpol Yugala, Hi-So

Screenplay

• Sophon Sakdaphisit, Sopana Chaowwiwatkul, Laddaland
• Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Headshot
• Pattana Chirawong, Pumpuang
• Tom Waller, Vithaya Pansringarm, Nick Wilgus, Mindfulness and Murder
• Somjing Srisuparb, Bunpong Panít, Sakilaa Banyen, 30 Kamlung Jaew

Supporting actress

• Apinya Sakuljaroensuk, Loving Me, Loving You
• Pimolrat Pisalayabuth, Kon Khon
• Suthatta Udomsilp, Laddaland
• Chudapha Chanthakhet, Sop Dek 2002
• Radklao Amaradit, The Outrage

Supporting actor

• Nirut Sirichanya, Kon Khon
• Nattawat Sakidja, Pumpuang
• Wannasak Sirilar, Mindfulness and Murder
• Somboonsook Niyomsiri, Top Secret Wairoon Pun Lan
• Patchara Jirathiwat, SuckSeed

Best actress

• Suthida Hongsa, Panya Reanu
• Arissara Lemuan, Love, Not Yet
• Paowalee Pornpimol, Pumpuang
• Piyathida Worramusik, Laddaland
• Patcharapa Chaichuea, 30 Kamlung Jaew

Best actor

• Saharat Sangkhapreecha, Laddaland
• Noppachai Jayanama, Headshot
• Vithaya Pansringarm, Mindfulness and Murder
• Suthep Po-ngam, Friday Killers
• Phuphoom Pongpanu, 30 Kamlung Jaew

Best director

• Sophon Sakdaphisit, Laddaland
• Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Headshot
• Tom Waller, Mindfulness and Murder
• Somjing Srisuparb, 30 Kamlung Jaew
• Songyos Sugmakanan, Top Secret Wairoon Pun Lan

Best picture

• Laddaland, GTH
• Headshot, Local Color
• Tee-Rak, Pop Pictures
• Pumpuang, Sahamongkol Film International
• Mindfulness and Murder, DeWarrenne Pictures

(Via The Nation, Manager)