It Gets Better leads Subhanahongsa nominees

Transgender writer-director Tanwarin Sukkhapisit's multi-generational story of transgender issues and romance It Gets Better is the leading nominee for the Thai film industry's top prize, the Subhanahongsa Awards (รางวัลภาพยนตร์แห่งชาติ สุพรรณหงส์). It received nods in nine out of 16 categories, including best picture, best director and best screenplay.

Chookiat Sakveerakul's sentimental three-segment drama Home, the animated fantasy Yak: The Giant King (ยักษ์) and the New Year's Eve psychological thriller Countdown (เคาท์ดาวน์) each have seven, including best picture and best director.

And another Best Picture nominee, Oriental Eyes' family drama Together Wan Tee Rak (Together วันที่รัก), has five nominations, including best director for Saranyu Jiraluk.

Although independent films have done well at the Subhanahongsas in recent years – two indie successes from the festival circuit, P-047 and the Busan New Currents winner 36, which both had well-attended limited theatrical runs in Bangkok – were shut out entirely. However, 36 director Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit scored a nod for sharing screenwriting credit on Home, and P-047 helmer Kongdej Jaturanrasamee got a nomination for best original song on Kantana Animation's Echo Planet.

Also, another independent movie, Tongpong Chantarangkul's I Carried You Home (Padang Besar, ปาดังเบซา), received three nominations, including best screenplay.

A surprise was the indie horror omnibus 9-9-81 (บอก-เล่า-9-ศพ, Bok Lao 9 Sop), which scored five nominations, including best screenplay and best cinematography for its many cameramen. The comic-book-like tale about a suicidal bride was divided into nine segments by different directors, each offering different viewpoints from the bride's lover, her friends, family and neighbors.

Also with five nominations was the ratings-testing period erotic melodrama Jan Dara: The Beginning, including supporting actor and actress nods – Chaiyapol Julien Poupart as a Muay Thai-fighting servant boy and Jan's loyal friend and Bongkot Kongmalai in her revealing turn as Jan's doting aunt/stepmother Waad.

In the best actor category, Jessadaporn Pholdee picked up a nomination for his portrayal of the guilt-ridden widower surgeon in M-Thirtynine's horror thriller I Miss U (รักฉันอย่าคิดถึงฉัน, Rak Chan Yaa Khid Tueng Chang. He also starred in Super Salaryman, but that only got nods for supporting players.

In a controversial choice, David Asavanond is nominated as best actor for his sadistic drug dealer named Jesus in Countdown, a role he played in director Nattawut Poonpiriya's original short film. However, the top-billed actor in the feature was Pachara Chirathivat.

The Shambhala siblings Sunny Suwanmethanon and Ananda Everingham both earned nominations for the Tibet spiritual road-trip drama, with Sunny up for best actor as the more-straitlaced brother and Ananda, playing his drunken, irresponsible bro, as supporting actor. Shambhala (ชัมบาลา) also earned a cinematography nod.

Also with three nominations is the 1960s crime drama Antapal (อันธพาล), with Krissada Sukosol Clapp up for best actor for his intense portrayal of an old-school gangster. It was also nominated for costumes and art direction.

The supporting actor nominations include Parama Imanothai for his role as a boy toy to an aging transsexual in It Gets Better and Ruangsak Loychusak as the wealthy southerner husband of a northern bride in Home.

Young actor Setthapong Piangpor is up for his supporting role as a trainee from upcountry in the office comedy Super Salaryman (ยอดมนุษย์เงินเดือน, Yod Manut Nguen Duen), as are actresses Sakuntala Tienpairoj as a mid-level manager and Jirapa Wongkosawan as a suffering secretary.

Anther workplace comedy, ATM Er Rak Err (ATM เออรัก เออเร่อ), also scored an acting nomination, best actress for Preechaya Pongthananikorn, who portrayed a banking executive in a secret romance, racing to recover lost cash from a malfunctioning automated-teller machine.

Veteran actress Penpak Sirikul, who starred in three features last year, was recognized for her lead performance in a segment of Home (Home ความรัก ความสุข ความทรงจำ, Home Khwam Rak Khwam Sook Khwam Songjam), in which she portrays a grieving widow trying to put her life back together. She also starred in It Gets Better (ไม่ได้ขอให้มารั,Mai Dai Kor Hai Ma Rak), portraying the aging transsexual.

Suquan Bulakul, a veteran newscaster and first-time film actress, was nominated for her role in GTH's three-segment drama Seven Something   (รัก 7 ปี ดี 7 หน, Rak Jet Pee Dee Jet Hon). Like Penpak in Home, she also portrayed a grieving widow. She takes up marathon running with a much-younger man to cope.

Apinya Sakuljaroensuk, who was also featured in the horror thrillers I Miss U and 3 A.M., got a best actress nod for I Carried You Home, in which she plays the younger of two estranged sisters who renew their bond during a strained cross-country ambulance journey with their mother's corpse.

And Jarinporn Joonkiat was nominated for Countdown for her role as a young Thai woman living in New York who along with her two roommates is terrorized by David Asavanond's drug dealer Jesus.

Known in English as the Thailand National Film Association Awards or the Golden Swan Awards, the 22nd edition of the "Thai Oscars" are under the auspices of the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand, which this year has a new president, GTH executive Visute Poolvoralaks. The award ceremony will be held on March 1 at the National Theatre under the theme of "The Masterpiece". It will be broadcast on Channel 7 that night at 11pm.

Also to be honored with the lifetime achievement award will be Pong Asvinikul, founder of the Ram Indra sound recording studios, which has a hand in the technical side of just about every Thai film that hits the screen.

Here are the nominees:

Best Picture

• It Gets Better, M Pictures
• Home, Sahamongkol Film International
• Together Wan Tee Rak, Oriental Eyes
• Countdown, GTH
• Yak: The Giant King, Sahamongkol Film International

Best Director

• Tanwarin Sukkhapisit, It Gets Better
• Chookiat Sakveerakul, Home
• Saranyu Jiraluk, Together
• Nattawut Poonpiriya, Countdown
• Prapas Cholsalanon and Chaiporn Panichrutiwong, Yak: The Giant King

Best Screenplay

• Rapeepimon Chaiyasena, Dulyasit Niyomkul, 9-9-81
• Tanwarin Sukkhapisit, It Gets Better
• Chookiat Sakveerakul and Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, Home
• Nattawut Poonpiriya, Countdown
• Pramett Chankrasae, Piyakarn Bootprasert and Tongpong Chantarangkul, I Carried You Home

Best Actor

• Jessadaporn Pholdee, I Miss U
• David Asavanond, Countdown
• Sunny Suwanmethanon, Shambhala
• Komen Raungkijratanakul, Rak: An Ordinary Love Story
• Krissada Sukosol Clapp, Antapal

Best Actress

• Preechaya Pongthananikorn, ATM Er Rak Error
• Penpak Sirikul, Home
• Suquan Bulakul, Seven Something
• Apinya Sakuljaroensuk, I Carried You Home
• Jarinporn Joonkiat, Countdown

Best Supporting Actor

• Parama Imanothai, It Gets Better
• Ruangsak Loychusak, Home
• Chaiyapol Julien Poupart, Jan Dara: The Beginning
• Ananda Everingham, Shambhala
• Setthapong Piangpor, Super Salaryman

Best Supporting Actress

• Piyathida Worramusik, Together
• Apittha Klaiudom, Yes Or No 2
• Bongkot Kongmalai, Jan Dara: The Beginning
• Sakuntala Tienpairoj, Super Salaryman
• Jirapa Wongkosawan, Super Salaryman

Best Cinematography

• Saran Srisingchia, Prayook Sreethongkoon, Thamjaroen Prompan, Sitthipong Kongthong, Nikorn Sreepongworrakul, Khanathip Chayiawan, Pongchaiphat Setthanan, Phoomin Chinaradee and Peerawat Sangklang, 9-9-81
• Pramett Chankrasae, Together
• Nattawut Kittikun, Shambhala
• Sueng Daungmanee, Dek Sao
• Pramett Chankrasae, I Carried You Home

Best Film Editing

• Surasak Panklin, Watthanachai Dulyakovit, 9-9-81
• Manuss Worrasing and Suchat Saengchoo, It Gets Better
• Sasikarn Suwannasut, Together
• Panayu Khunwallee, Countdown
• Prapas Cholsalanon, Smith Timsawas and Panlop Sinjaroen, Yak: The Giant King

Best Recording and Sound Mixing

• Ram Indra Sound Mixing Studio, 9-9-81
• Ekkarat Assawajamikorn, Wachira Wongsarote and Kantana Laboratories, I Miss U
• Nakorn Khositpaisan and Korrakote Kraisamut, It Gets Better
• Richard Hocks and Technicolor Thailand, Yak: The Giant King
• Trithep Wongpaiboon, Noppawat Likhitwong, Wattanadet Samanchat and Kantana Laboratories, Echo Planet

Best Original Song

• “Mai Dai Khor Hai Ma Ruk”, Hoksai Laidok and Khanakhum Apiradee, It Gets Better
• “Pleng Rak Thee Mai Me Khum Wa Rak", Worrawech Danuwong, The Melody
• “Phan Loei Pai”, Witwisit Hiranyawongkul, Home
• "Kerd Ma Pen Phuen Ther”, Apiwat Eurthavornsuk, Yak: The Giant King
• “Fang Si Fang Si Fang”, Kongdej Jaturanrasamee, Echo Planet

Best Original Score

• Krisanasak Kantathammawong, The Melody
• Kitti Kuremanee, Home
• Chatchai Pongprapapan, Jan Dara: The Beginning
• Jakkrapat Iamnoon, Yak: The Giant King
• Chatchai Pongprapapan, Echo Planet

Best Art Direction

• Withaya Chaimongkol, I Miss U
• Achira Nokthet and Narongsak Pawapootanon, It Gets Better
• Patrick Meesaiyati, Jan Dara: The Beginning
• Chaiporn Panichrutiwong, Yak: The Giant King
• Thana Mekha Amput, Antapal

Best Costume Design

• Panchalee Pinthong and Tanwarin Sukkhapisit, It Gets Better
• Ekasit Meprasertkul, Khun Nai Ho
• Athit Thrakittiwat, Jan Dara: The Beginning
• Thanasan Aiyaresakorn, Panya Raenu 2
• Chatchai Chaiyon, Antapal

Best Make Up Effects

• Amarit Chokprecha, Dark Flight 407
• Disney Sinchairungchat and Suphitchaya Janprakob, 9-9-81
• Phookit Yiamchawee, I Miss U
• Thanawut Boosamsai, Countdown
• Phatthara Puttisuraseth and Thatlee Jarujutharate, 3AM

(Via The Nation, Thai Rath)