Last Executioner, Teacher's Diary, I Fine win Tukkata Tong Awards

From left, Don Linder, Tom Waller, Katrina Grose and Vithaya Pansringarm from The Last Exectioner, winner of the best picture and best screenplay prizes. Photo courtesy of Tom Waller.

Snubbed by the Thai film industry's Subhanahongsa Awards, the cast and crew of The Last Executioner were feeling vindicated last night after winning best picture and screenplay at the 30th Surasawadee Awards (รางวัลพระสุรัสวดี) at the Thailand Cultural Center.

Put on by the Thai Entertainment Reporters Association, the long-running movie kudos also gave floral bouquets to The Teacher's Diary  (คิดถึงวิทยา, Kid Tueng Wittaya) and  I Fine ... Thank You ... Love You (ไอฟาย..แต๊งกิ้ว..เลิฟยู้). The actual awards, the Tukkata Tong (Golden Doll) statuettes, will be given out later in the year in royally appointed ceremonies.

Directed by Tom Waller and produced by Handmade Distribution, Tiger Entertainment and De Warrenne Pictures, The Last Executioner (เพชฌฆาต, Petchakat) had been nominated in six categories, including best director, best actor for "Pu" Vithaya Pansringarm, score by Olivier Lliboutry and costumes by Panyawan Nimjareanpong. The fact-based biographical screenplay by Don Linder and Katrina Grose recounted the moral and spiritual struggles of Thai prison guard Chavoret Jaruboon, who executed 55 death-row inmates with his rifle. He was the last to carry out the deadly deed with a firearm before the prison system switched to lethal injection. But he also was haunted by bad karma, which took on the form of various characters, such as David Asavonond's "spirit". The cast also included Penpak Sirikul, Jaran "See Tao" Petcharoen and Somdet Kaew-ler.

The Teachers' Diary was the leading nominee with 15 nods. In addition to best director for Nithiwat Taratorn, the GTH romantic drama about star-crossed teachers at a floating rural schoolhouse was also awarded for cinematography and art direction.

Another GTH picture, the English-tutoring rom-com I Fine ... Thank You ... Love You took the top acting prizes. It starred "Ice" Preechaya Pongthananikorn as a celebrity English-language tutor who agrees to teach a boorish factory worker (leading man Sunny Suwanmethinon) who wants to win back his U.S.-based ex-girlfriend. It had received three nominations, and in addition to the actor trophies, it was also honored for being the top-grossing Thai film of 2014.

Other honors went to the indie financial-crisis drama Concrete Clouds (ภวังค์รัก, Phawang Rak), which had 11 nominations. Apinya Sakuljaroensuk took the supporting actress prize for her brave turn as a young woman who has a fling with a woefully naive guy in a neighboring 1997 Bangkok apartment. Writer-director Lee Chatametikool was among a host of folks receiving special honors.

The supporting actor prize went to Pichaya Nitipaisankul from the Phranakorn horror omnibus Tai Hong Tai Hian (ตายโหงตายเฮี้ยน), in which he played a former monk haunted by an ex-girlfriend. The gory Tai Hong Tai Hian (I'll call it Die a Violent Death 2) also won for hair and makeup.

Three documentaries were among the honorees: The Master, about influential Bangkok bootleg video king Van VDO, with best editing; Somboon, about an elderly husband caring for his chronically ailing wife, with best song, and By the River (สายน้ำติดเชื้อ, Sai Nam Tid Shoer), about a Karen village devastated by lead-mining waste, with best score by the Karen musicians.

Animation and 3D movies were also recognized, with the animated The Story of Mahajanaka (พระมหา ชนก) winning the honor for films paying tribute to His Majesty the King. The devotional fantasy is based on a story written by His Majesty. And Five Star Production's horror omnibus 3AM 3D Part 2 was noted for its special effects and sound.

Leaving empty handed was the romantic comedy-drama Chiang Khan Story (Tukkae Rak Pang Mak, ตุ๊กแกรักแป้งมาก), which scored big at the Bangkok Critics Assembly Awards and the 12th Kom Chad Luek Awards and another leading nominee, Timeline Jodmai Khwam Songjam (Timeline จดหมาย-ความทรงจำ).

The Last Executioner cast and crew. Photo courtesy of Tom Waller.

Here are the winners in the 30th Surasawadee Awards:

• Best picture – The Last Executioner
• Director – Nithiwat Taratorn, The Teacher's Diary
• Actor – Sunny Suwanamethanon, I Fine ... Thank You ... Love You
• Actress – Preechaya Pongthananikorn, I Fine ... Thank You ... Love You
• Supporting actor – Pichaya Nitipaisankul, Tai Hong Tai Hian
• Supporting actress – Apinya Sakuljaroensuk, Concrete Clouds
• Screenplay – Don Linder and Katrina Grose, The Last Executioner
• Cinematography – Narupon Chokkanapitak, The Teacher’s Diary
• Film editing – Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, The Master
• Art direction – Akradej Kaewkote, The Teacher’s Diary
• Costumes – Phoobao Thai Baan: E-San Indy
• Hair and makeup – Tai Hong Tai Hian
• Score – By the River (สายน้ำติดเชื้อ, Sai Nam Tid Shoer)
• Song – “Chan Ja Fan Tueng Ter” by Suphatra Inthonphakdi (Danu Huntrakun, composer), Somboon
• Sound – 3AM 3D Part 2 (ตีสาม คืนสาม 3D, Tee Sam Khuen Sam Sam D)
• Special effects – 3AM 3D Part 2
• Most popular film – I Fine ... Thank You ... Love You
• Buddhist film – The Story of Mahajanaka (พระมหา ชนก )
• Lifetime achievement awards – MC Chatrichalerm Yukol, Rong Kaomoonkadee, Aranya Ngarmwong, Thanit Watrothai,
• Rising stars: Thanapob Leeratanakajorn, Chonthida Asavahame
• Outstanding director – Lee Chatametikool, Concrete Clouds
• Popular actor – Sukrit Wisetkaew, The Teacher's Diary
• Popular actress – Davika Hoorne, Plae Kao (แผลเก่า, a.k.a. The Scar)

(Via Daily News, Matichon)