Beautiful Boxer (2004)

Bio-pic of transgender Muay Thai boxer Parinya Charoenphol who pursued the sport to pay for her sex change operation.

Director:

Ekachai Uekrongtham

Writers:

Ekachai Uekrongtham (screenplay by), Desmond Sim (screenplay by)

Stars:

Asanee Suwan, Sorapong Chatree, Orn-Anong Panyawong

6 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Asanee Suwan	...	Nong Toom / Parinya Charoenphol
Sorapong Chatree	...	Pi Chart
Orn-Anong Panyawong	...	Nong Toom's Mother
Nukkid Boonthong	...	Nong Toom's Father
Sitiporn Niyom	...	Nat
Somsak Tuangmkuda	...	Pi Moo (as Somsak Tuangmuka)
Kyôko Inoue	...	Herself (Female Wrestler) (as Kyoko Inoue)
Keagan Kang	...	Jack (the Reporter)
Yuka Hyodo	...	Japanese fan (as Hyouda Yuka)
Tanyabuth Songsakul	...	Tam
Sarawuth Tangchit	...	Young Toom
Natee Pongsopol	...	Novice Monk Toom
Nattama Narkpo	...	Pi Nam
Chayaporn Tometh	...	Pi Nid
Panuwath Kongsamuth	...	Jate

Storyline

Based on the real life story of Parinya Charoenphol, a Muay Thai boxer who underwent a sex change operation to become a woman. The movie chronicles her life from a young boy who likes to wear lipstick and flowers to her sensational career as a kickboxer - whose specialty is ancient Muay Thai boxing (moves which she can execute expertly with grace) - to finally confronting her own sexual identity, which leads to her sex change op.

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Plot Keywords:

muay thai | transgender | thai boxing | kickboxer | transitioning | 

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Taglines:

He fights like a man so he can become a woman

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Genres:

Action | Biography | Drama | Sport

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

GMM Pictures [Thailand] (Thai, English) Regent Releasing

Country:

Thailand

Language:

Thai English Japanese

Release Date:

29 April 2004 (Singapore)

Also Known As:

A Luta Pela Beleza

Filming Locations:

Bangkok, Thailand

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,713, 23 January 2005

Gross USA:

$133,920

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$638,317

Company Credits

Production Co:

GMM Pictures Co.

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

After the sex change op, Nong Toom is currently working as an actress-cum-model based in Bangkok.

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Quotes

Jack: But I still don't understand how your parents can be so... accepting... of the fact that you wanna be a girl.
Nong Toom: They know it's my karma. I did bad thing in past life, so I had to suffer in this life.
Jack: Where did you learn that from?
Nong Toom: In the temple, when I was monk.

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Connections

References K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)

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Soundtracks

A Man in My Dreams
lyrics and music by Wichen Kamchareon
Performed by Pumpong Duangchan and Parinya Chareonpol

User Reviews

Face you real sexuality bravely

Beautiful Boxer is a touching and meaningful Thai movie by Singapore-based director Ekachai Uekrongtham. Nong Toom's life story is the main subject of the film which is playing by Asanee Suwan, a male kick boxer in the real life. Nong Toom was a Thai boxing champion before but she is a model in Thai today.

In the movie, Nong Toom is a transsexual person who faces her real sexuality bravely. I like the film because I really admire her behavior and spirit. The fans of the genre would be satisfied since the impact of the story is really strong. It is difficult to imagine that a masculine man would choose to do a surgery in order to become a femininity lady. The storyline/ structure of the film are wonderful because it not only shows the life of Nong Toom to audience but also displays her internal talk and state of mind which is easy to understand. I can predict that the main character is a male transgender who wanted to become a woman in his childhood. However, it's still a good movie because it's fun to know how people with gender distortion are thinking and feeling. In the film, when Nong Toom was in the childhood, there are many shots about lipstick. Nevertheless, Nong Toom had interests to be a woman is not because of cosmetic but is mindset. He/She hates violence of Thai boxing but he/she loves the beauty of it. He/She joined the competitions was not because of gaining reputation but letting family to have a better life.

Beautiful Boxer relates to the society. There are few people who have gender and sexuality problem. Also, these people usually got discriminated. But, we cannot say that being a transgender or transsexual is their fault since they are born this way. "Life will take you on many roads. But only when you look inside, do you find the strength to be yourself?" and "The most difficult thing is try not to forget what you really want to be." I really like these two sentences which Nong Toom mentions when she was interviewing by a western reporter. The film tells us that if you are comfortable with the opposite sex, there is no need to be ashamed of it. Although some people would laugh behind, being what you really are is more important.