P-047 unlocks top awards from Bangkok Critics

Best actor winners David Asavanond, left, and Apichai Tragoolpadetkrai flank best actress winner Penpak Sirikul. Nation photo by Thanachai Pramarnpanich

P-047 (Tae Peang Phu Deaw, แต่เพียงผู้เดียว), veteran writer-director Kongdej Jaturanrasmee's first independent film, scored big with the Bangkok Critics Assembly (มรมวิจารณ์บันเทิง)  on Thursday night, winning five of the 12 awards, including best director and best screenplay.

The oddball psychological drama about a locksmith who breaks into apartments to "borrow" the residents' lives, also shared the best actor prize. Cult indie musician Apichai Tragoolpadetgrai, playing the taciturn keymaker and lock jimmier, shared the award with David Asavanond, who's won other awards this season for his turn as an unhinged drug dealer named Jesus in Countdown

Apichai was also a nominee for his music, for best original song on the spiritual road-trip drama Shambhala, but that prize went to his P-047 director Kongdej, who penned an original tune for Kantana Animation's Echo Planet.

Among other accolades for David was a best-actor win at the Thai film industry's leading awards, the Subhanahongsas, which bafflingly ignored P-047 as well as another indie favorite from the film-festival circuit, 36, by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit. Nawapol, who's made many noted indie short films and has also written several commercial screenplays, picked up the Young Filmmaker Award from the Critics.

According to The Nation, Kongdej wasn't present to pick up his awards, being in Hong Kong with his latest film Tang Wong, but he thanked everyone on his Facebook page.

Veteran actress Penpak Sirikul won the best actress prize for her role as a grieving widow in Chookiat Sakveerakul's sentimental three-segment drama Home Khwam Rak Khwam Sook Khwam Songjam (Home ความรัก ความสุข ความทรงจำ,), which also won best picture.

Penpak, who turned up at the casual ceremony in fashionably ripped and faded blue jeans, was also a nominee for her turn as an aging transgender in Tanwarin Sukkhapisit's It Gets Better (ไม่ได้ขอให้มารั, Mai Dai Kor Hai Ma Rak). Her castmate from that film, Parama Imanothai, won the supporting actor prize, sweeping the awards in the category this year, along with Piyathada Worramusik, best supporting actress for the family drama Together Wan Tee Rak (Together วันที่รัก)

Here's the list of winners:

• Best Picture: Home, Sahamongkol Film International
• Best Director: Kongdej Jaturanrasamee, P-047
• Best Actor: David Asavanond, Countdown and Apichai Tragoolpadetgrai, P-047
• Best Actress: Penpak Sirikul, Home
• Best Supporting Actor: Parama Imanothai, It Gets Better
• Best Supporting Actress: Piyathida Worramusik, Together
• Best Screenplay: Kongdej Jaturanrasamee, P-047
• Best Cinematography: MR Umpornpol Yugala, P-047
• Best Film Editing:  Manussa Vorasingha and Kamontorn Eakwattanakij,
• P047Best Original Song: “Fang Si Fang Si Fang”, Kongdej Jaturanrasamee, Echo Planet
• Best Original Score: Chatchai Pongprapapan, Echo Planet
• Best Art Direction: Achira Nokthet and Narongsak Pawapootanon, It Gets Better
• Lifetime Achievement award: "Philip" Chalong Pakdeewijit
• Young Filmmaker Award: Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, 36
• Top Grossing Film Award: ATM Er Rak Error