Youth in spotlight as Bangkok Critics nominate Pee Mak, Tang Wong and Mary Is Happy

The Bangkok Critics Assembly (ชมรมวิจารณ์บันเทิง) is bowing to the domination of youth in the past year's Thai films, creating a new award for young filmmakers and giving the bulk of the nominations for its Critics' Awards to teen-oriented movies, Pee Mak Phra Khanong, Tang Wong and Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy.

The three films were also the top nominees at the recent Subhanahongsa Awards, and the Bangkok Critics' selection largely mirrors the Thai film industry's biggest trophy parade.

The teenybopper ghost romance Pee Mak Phra Khanong and the teen dramas Tang Wong and Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy each have nine nominations, including best picture, director, acting and screenplay.

At the Subhanahongsas, the low-budget indie dramas Tang Wong and Mary came away the big winners, leaving the big-studio box-office record-holder Pee Mak with just one prize.

Other leading nominees in the Critics' Awards include the teen drama Grean Fictions with seven nods, including best picture, director and screenplay. The teen ghost thriller Last Summer, the rom-com Love Syndrome, the older-woman-young man romance Prayoke Sanya Rak and the docu-drama Karaoke Girl each have four nominations. The wartime romance Koo Kam and the teen slasher Thongsuk 13 each have three.

Although the industry-organized Subhanahongsas have started to give more recognition to indie films in recent years, the Bangkok Critics have traditionally been more receptive to the low-budget art-house features that make it big on the festival circuit, and have been particularly keen on any documentaries that make it to Thai cinemas. Though oddly, the political documentary Paradoxocracy, which was nominated at the Subhanahongsas, is left off the list.

Anyway, current trends are reflected most this year in a new category, Best Young Filmmaker, honoring a crop of first-time feature directors. Nominees include Nontawat Numbenchapol, who is also up for best director with his Thai-Cambodian border doc Boundary. Twin sisters Wanwaew and Waewwan Hongwiwat are nominated for Wish Us Luck, which documented their monthlong train journey from England to Thailand. Bongkot Kongmalai, whose acting credits go back to her late teens with 2000's Bang Rajan, made her feature directorial debut with co-director Wiroj Srisithsereeamorn on Angels (Nang Fah). Palatpon Mingpornpichit is a nominee for Prayoke Sanya Rak, which is also nominated for best actor and actress and song. Visra Vichit-Vadakan is named for Karaoke Girl, which is also nominated for best actress, cinematography and song. And MR Chalermchatri Yukol, son of MC Chatrichalerm Yukol, is recognized for his feature debut The Cop (Sarawat Mah Baa).

The Critics’ Awards will be presented at 6pm on March 26 at the Royal Thai Army Club.

Best Picture

• Pee Mak Phra Khanong
• Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy
• Grean Fictions
• Tang Wong
• Love Syndrome Rak Ngo Ngo

Director

• Banjong Pisunthanakun, Pee Mak Phra Khanong
• Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy
• Chookiat Sakveerakul, Grean Fictions
• Kongdej Jaturanrasmee, Tang Wong
• Nontawat Numbenchapol, Boundary

Actor

• Nadech Kugimiya, Khoo Kam
• Pattadon Janngern, Grean Fictions
• Krissada Sukosol Clapp, Pawnshop
• Mario Maurer, Pee Mak Phra Khanong
• Setthapong Phiangpor, Prayoke Sanya Rak

Actress

• Keerati Mahaphrukpong, Love Syndrome
• Lalita Panyopas, Prayoke Sanya Rak
• Patcha Poonpiriya, Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy
• Sa Sitthijan, Karaoke Girl
• Suthata Udomsilp, Last Summer

Supporting Actor

• Auttarut Kongrasri, Pee Mak Phra Khanong
• Nutthasit Kotimanuswanich, Tang Wong
• Kittisak Pathomburana, Grean Fictions
• Jirayu La-ongmanee, Last Summer
• Arak Amornsupasiri, Young Bao

Supporting Actress

• Chonnikan Netjui, Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy
• Natharat Lekha, Tang Wong
• Titirat Rojsangrat, Love Syndrome
• Wanida Termthanaporn, Grean Fictions
• Sucha Manaying, Hashima Project

Screenplay

• Nontra Kumwong, Chantawit Thanasewee and Banjong Pisunthanakun, Pee Mak Phra Khanong
• Chookiat Sakveerakul and Niwaruj Teekaphowan, Grean Fictions
• Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy
• Kongdej Jaturanrasmee, Tang Wong
• Manachaya Panitsarn, Worakorn Virakun, Virasinee Raungprchaubkun, Kimhan Kanchanasomjai and Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, Love Syndrome

Film Editing

• Thammarat Sumethsupachok, Pee Mak Phra Khanong
• Chonlasit Upanigkit, Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy
• Manussa Warasingha and Kamonthorn Ekwattanakit, Tang Wong
• Chookiat Sakveerakul and Jirasak Jakrawan, Grean Fictions
• Chalermsak Klangjaroen, Adirek Watleela and Taweewat Wantha, Thongsuk 13

Cinematography

• Narupon Chokkanapitak, Pee Mak Phra Khanong
• Sayompoo Mukdeeprom, Last Summer
• Pairach Khumwan, Mary is Happy, Mary is Happy
• Sandi Sissel and Chananan Choterungroj, Karaoke Girl
• MR Umpornpol Yugala, Saran Srisingchai, Tang Wong

Art Direction

• Akradej Kaewkote, Pee Mak Phra Khanong
• Rasiguet Sookkarn, Mary is Happy, Mary is Happy
• Rasiguet Sookkarn, Tang Wong
• Warakorn Poonsawas, Thongsuk 13

Original Score

• Chatchai Pongprapapan and Hualampong Riddim, Pee Mak Phra Khanong
• Chatchai Pongprapapan, Jan Dara: The Finale
• Somsiri Sangkaew, Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy
• Chaibandit Peuchponsub, Apichai Tragoolpadetgrai and Yellow Fang, Tang Wong
• Giant Wave, Thongsuk 13

Original Song

• "Sao Karaoke", Kampee Sangthong, Karaoke Girl
• "Hideko", Yusuke Namikawa and Wichaya Wattanasap, Khoo Kam
• "Yuewya", Cin Thosaporn Achawanantakul, Last Summer
• "Chan Rak Ther", Rerkchai Paungpetch and Chansa Mettapan, Fud Jung To
• "Khem Nalika", Kunlapon Samsen and Warat Prasertlab, Prayoke Sanya Rak

Young Filmmaker Award

• Wanwaew and Waewwan Hongwiwat, Wish Us Luck (Khor Hai Rao Chokdee)
• Bongkoj Khongmalai and Wiroj Srisithsereeamorn, Nang Fah
• Palatpon Mingpornpichit, Prayoke Sanya Rak
• Nontawat Numbenchapol, Boundary
• MR Chalermchatri Yukol, Sarawat Mah Baa
• Visra Vichit-Vadakan. Karaoke Girl

Box Office Award – Pee Mak Phra Khanong

Lifetime Achievement Award – Pitsamai Wilaisak

(Via The Nation)