Thailand continues in its tradition of bold gay drama with the very personal and true story of Parinya Charoenphol, a prize fighting transvestite kickboxer who eventually becomes a woman.

At six Parinya, known as Nong Toom, was dressing up as a girl and experimenting with lipstick. Despatched to a monastery by concerned parents to become a novice monk and bring good karma to the family, Nong Toom was prohibited from adorning himself with flowers, make-up or perfume.

He believes his sinful thoughts will bring bad luck upon his family and these fears are compounded when his mother is imprisoned on a spurious charge and his father becomes ill. He sneaks off at night to find food for his starving family and when he encounters a transsexual he realises he really could become a girl one day.

Nong Toom eventually leaves the monastery and as a slightly awkward teenager, played by real life kickboxer Asanee Suwan, he discovers he has a talent for kicking people where it hurts. His prowess in the ring eventually affords him enough money to feed his family and pay for a sex change operation.

The more fights, the more he wins and the more he dreams of competing in a beauty contest. Writer and director Ekachai Uekrongtham cleverly mirrors Nong Toom’s success in the ring with his growing emotional development and acceptance of his desire to become a woman.

Reactions vary when he’s caught wearing make up, but his trainer Pi Chart (Sorapong Chat) is supportive and even more interesting are the reactions of his opponents when they decide that they’re masculinity is being challenged as well as their physical strength.

A huge hit on the festival circuit, Beautiful Boxer is a superior ‘coming out’ film that primarily focuses on the positive rather than the negative of discovering a different identity to the one preordained.

Uekrongtham let’s the story speak for itself and he refrains from embellishing or sensationalising it in any way, but he doesn’t allow us any insight into Nong Toom’s sexual preference or his inner thoughts.

First time film director Uekrongtham convinces us of Nong Toom’s seemingly contradictory desire to purport violence and strip away his masculinity at the same time, and, for a debut performance, Suwan’s portrayal of Nong Toom is a poignant delight.

Uekrongtham’s roots lie in musical theatre and it shows with the beautifully choreographed fight scenes, which are one step away from dance. Graceful and balletic, they’re sexy and beautifully shot and fans of the sport won’t be disappointed with the numerous fight sequences.

All in all a poignant action drama that, as the advertising says, “punches straight into the heart and mind of a boy who fights like a man so he can become a woman.”

Read our interview with diector Ekachai Uekrongtham.

Beautiful Boxer opens in the UK on 2 September 2005

Beautiful Boxer [2004]
Label: Tartan DVD
Released: 23 January 2006
ASIN: B000BX6FXC
Catalogue Number: TVD3614

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