Beautiful Boxer

Beautiful Boxer is a Thai biographical sports film from 2003. It was directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham, produced by the studio GMM Pictures, and premiered in Thailand on 28 November 2003. The film tells the story of Parinya Charoenphol, known as Nong Toom, a Thai Muay Thai boxer, actress and model, and a transgender woman. She was born on 9 June 1981 in Chiang Mai and trained at Fairtex Gym in Bangkok. In February 1998, at the age of sixteen, she defeated a larger opponent at Lumpinee Stadium. In 1999 she announced the end of her ring career. Nong Toom is played by Asanee Suwan, who, according to an interview for Vice, began Muay Thai at the age of eleven, joined the Sor Ploenchit gym in Bangkok at thirteen, and fought at the Lumpinee and Rajadamnern stadiums before turning to acting at twenty-two. He therefore competed in the Thai boxing he demonstrates in the film. Among other honours, the film won the Sebastian Award at the festival in San Sebastián and the award for best feature film at the festival in Turin. Asanee Suwan received the award for best male performance from the Thailand National Film Association. After the film's premiere, Parinya Charoenphol returned to the ring. On 26 February 2006 she won an exhibition bout by unanimous decision at the Fairtex Gym branch in Pattaya, where her opponent was Kenshiro Lookchaomaekhemthong. In October 2007 she faced Jorina Baars in Arnhem, and on 31 May 2008 she beat Pernilla Johansson on points in Stockholm.

Martial arts in this work

Fight choreography

According to an interview Asanee Suwan gave to Vice magazine, director Ekachai Uekrongtham wanted the fights to look realistic and had them filmed at roughly sixty percent intensity. Suwan describes how, while shooting one fight, he accidentally knocked out the actor playing his opponent with a choreographed kick; the actor recovered and the scene was finished. According to Suwan, Uekrongtham did not want him to imitate Nong Toom, but to play the character from the heart and approach her as a woman. Suwan states that Nong Toom approved of his portrayal. This is the account of the lead actor; we have not been able to find another source confirming it.

People and martial arts

• Parinya Charoenpholthe real person the work is about· Muay Thai (real practitioner)
• Ekachai UekrongthamDirector
• Asanee SuwanActor — as Nong Toom (Parinya Charoenphol)· Muay Thai (real practitioner)