LGBTI Film Series: "Beautiful Boxer"

"Beautiful Boxer" is the fifth film in the LGBTI Film Series co-sponsored by the Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Cultural Foundation, here! Television Network and the University of Hawaii at Manoa LGBTI Student Services. Based on the true story of Thailand's famed transgender kickboxer, Beautiful Boxer is a poignant action drama that punches straight into the heart and mind of a boy who fights like a man so he can become a woman.

Believing he's a girl trapped in a boy's body since childhood, Parinya Charoenphol (affectionately known as Nong Toom in Thailand) sets out to master the most masculine and lethal sport of Muay Thai (Thai boxing) to earn a living and to achieve his ultimate goal of total femininity. Touching, funny and packed with breathtaking Thai kickboxing sequences, Beautiful Boxer traces Nong Toom's childhood, teenage life as a traveling monk and grueling days in boxing camps. Shot in 9 provinces across Thailand and in Tokyo, the film also features a series of explosive matches where Nong Toom knocks out most of his opponents in Thailand and Japan.

Directed and produced by Ekachai Uekrongtham, the film stars Asanee Suwan, a real-life kickboxing champ as Nong Toom. The role earned him the 2004 Supannahongsa Award (Thailand's equivalent to the Oscar) for Best Actor. Beautiful Boxer also features compelling performances by Thailand's award-winning actor Sorapong Chatree in the role of Nong Toom's coach and former Miss Thailand Orn-Anong Panyawong as Nong Toom's mother. Kyoko Inoue, one of Japan's top female wrestlers plays herself in the film. She has fought with Nong Toom in real life back in 1988. That historical match was reenacted for the film in a dramatic sequence shot at Toyko Dome. Nearly all of Nong Toom's opponents in the film are also professional kickboxers in real life. Beautiful Boxer has been officially selected for the Panorama Section of the 2004 Berlin International Film Festival. It’s the only Thai film in the 2004 Panorama.

Doors will open at 7:00 pm with the film starting at 7:30 pm. $5 donations can be accepted at the door to support LGBTI students at UH Manoa.

"Beautiful Boxer" is the second film being presented in a joint venture with the Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Cultural Foundation’s outreach program whose mission is to educate and raise awareness of the community at large about gay and lesbian culture, arts and lifestyles; to instill a sense of pride and respect among the members of the gay community; and to highlight the unique cosmopolitan ambiance of the city of Honolulu.

The HG&LCF is a non-profit 501c3 organization. This showing would not be possible without the support of here!, America’s premiere gay television network. here! was established in 2002, and is currently available to more than 50 million households nationwide. here! offers a wide variety of groundbreaking and acclaimed original movies and series plus the world's largest collection of gay and lesbian films appealing to the broad-based, diverse LGBT audience.

For additional information, please contact Brent Anbe HG&LCF Outreach Program Coordinator, 808.381.1952

Ticket Information
Open to the public: $5 general admission; $3 students

Event Sponsor
LGBTI Student Services, Univeristy of Hawaii at Manoa

More Information
Camaron Miyamoto, 956-9250, lgbtq@hawaii.edu, http://www.beautifulboxer-themovie.com/

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