4 Romance
The Thai theatrical poster.
Directed by	Chukiat Sakveerakul Prachya Pinkaew Bandit Thongdee Rachain Limtrakul
Starring	Mario Maurer Kanya Rattanapetch Shahkrit Yamnarm Witwisit Hiranyawongkul
Distributed by	Sahamongkol Film International
Release date(s)	Thailand: December 25, 2008
Country	Thailand
Language	Thai

4 Romance

 (Thai: ฝัน-หวาน-อาย-จูบ หรือ or Fan Waan Aai Joop) is a 2008 Thai romantic comedy, released in Thailand's cinema on December 25, 2008. This film was directed by four directors: Chukiat Sakveerakul, Prachya Pinkaew, Bandit Thongdee, and Rachain Limtrakul.

Plot

Its a melodrama, comedy, action, time-shifting psychological mystery and a cartoon fantasy put together in one film. The film is divided into 4 shorts segments titled DREAM, SWEET, SHY, KISS (Fan Waan Aai Joop).^[1]

The first segment is titled KISS (Joop). It is a story about a guy named 'Lothario' who steals kisses from his friend's girlfriends. Now that his eyes are set on Gaga, the girlfriend of his friend Beaver, Beaver confronted Lothario at the 'boxing gym' and there they had a boxing fight and Beaver ensures that the guy won't able to kiss his girlfriend. Beaver won and finally end up kissing Gaga.

Next is SHY (Aai), Tong, a rich girl from the city has went to a remote tropical island looking for a spot to build her spa and resort. After some argument with the boatman she was left stranded in the island. There is waiting her tour guide, she was shock finding out that the tour guide is her ex-boyfriend, Durian who left her without any words. It has been revealed that Durian left Tong because he felt embarrassed and shy about his modest upbringing background to Tong Hi-class profile. At night they drink with Durian's friend and there Tong got drunk and expresses her feelings towards Durian. After that night, Tong has been fetched in the island by one of her staff and left Durian. Then Durian noticed that Tong has forgotten her sketch Pad and there he saw sketches of the two of them. The weather is not good. Durian borrow his friend's boat and follow Tong. He saw Tong and there they hug one another with tear drops fell from Tong's face.

The third segment is SWEET (Waan), a story about a middle-aged couple, Shane & Waan. Shane is a hard-working architect, he is about to go a business trip which his wife, did not want him to attend. He told Shane he better not come back if he still go to the business trip, yet Shane still go, leaving Waan alone. Gradually it becomes clear that all is not well with Waan. When Shane returns home, he finds Waan is not the same anymore. The story shows stories from their teenage years that made Waan so upset.

The last segment is DREAM (Fan). The story involves a little girl, Ton Kheaw, who is so obsessed with the boy-band August, that she becomes lost in a vivid dream world, where she takes part in a magical adventure with the band. August to lead by Pichy has made a deal with the Devil Black Cat. Like Robert Johnson at the Crossroads, they sold their souls. In human form, the Black Cat named "Mr. Bird". August wants out of the deal and the only key to survive is at Tong Khaew. The band members transform into cartoon animal beings, and Tong Khaew becomes a wide-eyed anime little girl. They'd tried to escape from the black Cat and beat it up. They went back to being a human

Cast

Segment 1: KISS (Joop)

• Mario Maurer as Beaver
• Apissara Tudti as Gaga
• Nattaphong Aroonnet as Phed/Lothario
• Thanaphatrapong Piang U-Ta as Han
• Arporn Meebangyang

Segment 2: SHY (Aai)

• Kanya Rattanapetch as Thong
• Pakorn Chatchaiboriruk as Durian
• Teerawat Mulvilan as Nguk
• Rapeeporn Homnan as Nuey
• Boonkasem Saekow as Prasit
• Sophn Phoonsawat as Warnjeab

Segment 3: SWEET (Waan)

• Shahkrit Yamnarm
• Wasit Pongsopha
• Apinya Sakuljaroensuk

Segment 4: DREAM (Fan)

• Witwisit Hiranyawongkul as Pitch
• Chanon Rikulsurakarn as Non
• Jenjira Jamniansri as Tonkaw
• Pathomwat Wansukpraset as Nine
• Nattapong Navasinlawut as Ong
• Attanan Piyaseth as Wan
• Naphanthanut Poungoomisin as Tor
• Suwapat Songsiangxhai as Mac
• Voraphat Dejkajonwath as Mike
• Watcharit Avasiriphong as Arm
• Tekatath Nuntawaleekul as Jo
• Paskorn Wiroonsap as Petch
• Juruvit Laiviratana as Boy
• Teemah Kanjanapairin as Bird

Release and reception

4 Romance was released in Thailand in December 2008. Its total gross was $1,424,592

Trailer

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4_Romance

Friendship

Friendship (Thai: เฟรนด์ชิพ เธอกับฉัน) (also known as Friendship You and Me) is a 2008 Thai Romantic Teen Film starring Mario Maurerand Apinya Sakuljaroensuk (Ploy) directed by Chatchai Naksuriya. The film is around 1983 setting and is about Singha and Mituna's endless love for each other. The film starts with the present and goes back to the past of their high school days.

Plot summary

Singha (Mario Maurer) receives a call from Jazz, a high school friend. Jazz sets up a high school reunion from their class only. The entire bunch meets up, they had a conversation and turns into Singha's last year of high school memory. Where he met his first and only love, Mituna (Apinya Sakuljaroensuk).

At first day of their final year in high school, Singha was waiting for a bus and had seen a woman fell down. He helped the woman and rode a bus to go to school. They had two new classmates, Lam and Mituna. Mituna got late from class at that time but was excused because she was new from the school. She sat beside Jazz and in front of her is Kanda whom she became friends with. At first, Singha and her pals mocked her for being so silent. He got friends with Lam who had helped him survive under Kong who tried to kill him. Lam became close with Singha's group, hanging out with each other. Mituna hated Singha more when Singha made fun of her because they were dance partners. Until, Mituna fought back in the bus because they made fun of her because she had helped a mute woman.

From that time on, Singha had been stalking Mituna because he wanna know where she lived. He asked forgiveness to her but Mituna does not want to talk to him. Singha's group together with Jazz and Kanda asked Mituna's mom to have Mituna be with them in their project. They went upcountry and helped educate kids by giving them handouts and others. In a bonfire that night, Singha opened up his feelings by telling his most and second most favorite flower whom he referred as Mituna. He wanted to give the bright side of Mituna.

Mituna's pal and Singha's group became close to each other and helped fix Mituna's house. The group goes out together in resort and the skate club. Until, Singha and Mituna had fallen in love with each other. Lam got killed by Kong that brings sorrow to the group. Singha gave Mituna a paper to sign for their friendship book. She went home and had known that they had to move upcountry. In the final exam day, Mituna lied to Singha by telling him that she had to go upcountry for few days. After taking the last exam, she leave a note to Singha that they would talk at the result day.

Prior to the result day, Singha's father was transferred and they had to move. On the result day, Singha decided to wait for Mituna but changed his mind because of his friends. He got drunk and had fallen asleep. He woke up and look for Mituna in school and in her house. He ended up in the park waiting for her even if it is raining. He was caught by the cops but was recognized as son of a sergeant.

After the reminiscence, his friends told him at the reunion that if Mituna wanted to see him, she had showed up. He had to go upcountry for his job and found Mituna's mother. Mituna and Singha met each other again but Mituna was sicked and they talked whole night. Early morning, Mituna died listening to Singha. Her mother gave him Mituna's thing who she wanted to be given to Singha. Singha read her notes and found out the day she transferred in that school, she found Singha who is the most important person in her life. He found out that it was Mituna's mom whom he had helped that day. The marigold flower he gave to Mituna's mom was kept by her and became the reason why she loved marigold. He found out that Mituna had kept her promise to talk to him at the exam result day but ended up searching for him in his house and in the park. She was afraid they will never say goodbye to each other. She tried to go back to school but she failed.

Cast

• Mario Maurer as Singha
• Apinya Sakuljaroensuk as Mituna
• Chalermpon Thikumporn Teerawong as Song
• Jetrin Wattanasin as Adult Singha
• Kanawat Chantaralawan as Jud Duang

Trailer

The Love of Siam

The Love of Siam
Thai theatrical poster
Directed by	Chookiat Sakveerakul
Produced by	Prachya Pinkaew Sukanya Vongsthapat
Written by	Chookiat Sakveerakul
Starring	Witwisit Hiranyawongkul Mario Maurer Chermarn Boonyasak Sinjai Plengpanich Songsit Rungnopakunsri
Cinematography	Chitti Urnorakankij
Distributed by	Sahamongkol Film International
Release date(s)	Thailand: November 22, 2007 Republic of China: September 19, 2008 Japan: May 20, 2009 Singapore: July 16, 2009
Running time	150 minutes 178 minutes (Director's Cut)
Country	Thailand
Language	Thai
Budget	17 million baht[1]
Gross revenue	42 million baht[2

(Thai: รักแห่งสยาม, RTGS: Rak Haeng Sayam, pronounced [rák hɛ̀ŋ sà.jǎːm]) is a Thai romantic-drama film, written and directed by Chookiat Sakveerakul. A multi-layered family drama, a groundbreaking element of the story is a gay romance between two teenage boys.

The film was released in Thailand on 22 November 2007. The fact that the gay storyline was not apparent from the film's promotional material initially caused controversy, but the film was received with critical acclaim and proved financially successful. It dominated Thailand's 2007 film awards season, winning the Best Picture category in all major events.

Cast

• Witwisit Hiranyawongkul as Mew
• Mario Maurer as Tong
• Kanya Rattanapetch as Ying
• Aticha Pongsilpipat as Donut
• Chermarn Boonyasak as Tang/June
• Sinjai Plengpanich as Sunee, Tong's mother
• Songsit Rungnopakunsri as Korn, Tong's father

Marketing controversy, audience response

Marketed as a typical teen romance between boys and girls, the gay aspect of the love story was controversial.

Thai-language web boards were posted with messages of support, as well as accusations by moviegoers that they were misled into watching "a gay movie."^[1]

Director Chookiat Sakveerakul admitted the film was marketed on the film posters and in the film's previews as a straight romance because he wanted it to reach a wider audience.^[1]

"The movie is not all about gay characters, we are not focusing on gay issues, we are not saying, 'let's come out of the closet,' so obviously, we don't want the movie to have a 'gay' label," he said in an interview.^[1]

But the director confirmed the mixed reaction of audiences. "I went incognito to a movie theater and observed the audience. I didn't expect such a strong reaction. Maybe I was just too optimistic that homophobia in Thai society had subsided."^[1]

Box-office performance

The Love of Siam was released in Thai cinemas on November 22, 2007, opening on 146 screens. It was the No. 1 film at the Thai box office that weekend, topping the previous No. 1 film, Beowulf.^[3] It slipped to No. 2 the following weekend, unseated by the comedy film, Ponglang Amazing Theater.^[4] In the third week of release, it had dropped to No. 5, with to-date box office takings of US$1,198,637.^[5] It has grossed a total of US$1,305,125 to date.

The film was officially released in Taiwan on September 19, 2008 and Singapore on July 16, 2009. It reached No. 12 at the Taiwan box office in opening week.^[6]

Critical response

The Love of Siam was received with critical acclaim upon its release.

Bangkok Post film critic Kong Rithdee called the film "groundbreaking", in terms of being the first Thai film "to discuss teenagers' sexuality with frankness". He praised the mature, realistic family drama aspects of the film, as well as the solid performances, particularly by Sinjai Plengpanich as the mother Sunee.^[7]

Another Bangkok Post commentator, Nattakorn Devakula, said the film contained important lessons for Thai society. "The point that the film attempts to teach viewers – and a largely conservative Thai society – is that love is an evolved form of emotional attachment that transcends sexual attraction of the physical form."^[8]

A reviewer for The Nation called the film "brilliantly conceived".^[9]

A few critics found fault with the film, among them Gregoire Glachant of BK magazine, who commented that "The Love of Siam isn't a very well shot movie. Chookiat's camera only records his dull play with equally dull angles and light as it wanders from homes to schools, to recording studio, and to Siam Square without sense of purpose or directions."^[10]

The movie also reached a rating of 8.3 (out of 10) on the Internet Movie Database.^[11

Plot

Mew, a stubborn kid, is a neighbour of Tong. Tong is an energetic boy who lives with his parents and sister. After accidentally spitting gum into Mew's hair, Tong wanted to befriend Mew but was unsuccessful. At school, Mew was cornered by several other students and was harassed until Tong stepped in to defend him. Tong was injured and apologized to Mew for the chewing gum incident. Mew was grateful for Tong stepping in and responded that they were even. The two became good friends from that point on.

Mew plays on his grandpa's piano and is joined by his grandma, who begins to play a song. Mew asks his grandma why she liked that song and his grandma responded by telling Mew that it was played for her by his grandpa. It was a way for him to express his love to her and explains that one day, Mew will understand the meaning of the song.

Tong's family goes to Chiangmai and returns without Tong's sister, Tang, since she wanted to stay with her friends a couple days more. Tong bought Mew a present and decided to give it to Mew piece by piece in a game of Treasure Hunt. One by one, Mew found all of the pieces except for the last one which was hidden in a tree. The tree was cut down before Mew was able to retrieve it leaving the present Tong bought for Mew incomplete. Tong was disappointed at their misfortune, but Mew remained grateful for Tong's efforts. Tang called her parents and told them that she would extend her stay at Chiangmai until the 24th of December. Tong looks at his calendar and realizes that Tang will not be able to attend the Christmas play he would participate in.

After the Christmas play, Tong receives a phone call from his parents telling him to stay with Mew and his grandma. After spending the night at Mew's house, Tong awakens to the sight of his parents along with Mew and his grandma. Tong is told that his parents are going to Chiangmai for a couple days to look for Tang. Tong lives in depression until his parents come back, only to find out that Tang may be lost. Tong is devastated and cries in front of Mew, who is trying to comfort his friend.

Months have passed and Tong's family decides to move. On the day of the move, Tong finds Mew sitting on a ledge overlooking a pier. Tong says his final words and departs in a car. Tong looks back only to find Mew walking towards the car before coming to a stop and crying for losing his best friend.

Six years pass. The boys are reunited during their senior year of high school at Siam Square. The musically talented Mew is the leader of aboy band called August. Tong has a pretty girlfriend, Donut. The meeting stirs up old feelings that Mew has harbored since boyhood, his love for Tong.

Mew's band, meanwhile, has a new manager, June. She looks just like Tong's long-lost sister, Tang. After meeting June, Tong and his mother, Sunee, devise to a plan to pay June to pretend she is Tang, in hopes that it will pull Tong's father out of his alcoholic depression. "Tang" borrows a story from the Thai film Ruk Jung, saying she has amnesia, which is why she has forgotten how to say her family's Catholic grace at the dinner table.

Mew is also the object of an unrequited crush of a neighbor girl, Ying. Unfortunately, Mew has strong feelings for Tong, which have inspired him to write new songs. The manager, as well as the entire band, were all impressed with Mew's composition.

The boys share a prolonged kiss in Tong's backyard one night after a party in honor of the return of "Tang". Prior to that Tong also spends the night with Mew, which causes his mother to worry.

At Christmas time, as Tong and his mother are decorating a Christmas tree, they have a heart-to-heart talk about making choices, and Tong asks his mother to let him make his own choices.

Tong then goes to Siam Square for a date with Donut. Mew's band is playing nearby, so Tong abandons Donut and tells her that he cannot be with her. He then rushes to see Mew play and is guided there by Ying, who has accepted the fact that Mew loves Tong. After the performance, Tong gives Mew a gift, the missing nose from the wooden doll that Tong gave him when they were children. However, Tong tells Mew he can't be his boyfriend but that doesn't mean he doesn't love Mew.

The movie ended with Mew putting the missing nose back to the wooden puppet, saying "thank you" and crying quietly.

Awards

The Love of Siam dominated Thailand's 2007 film awards season, winning the Best Picture category in all major national film award events, including the Thailand National Film Association Awards, Starpics Magazine's Starpics Awards, the Bangkok Critics AssemblyAwards, Star Entertainment Awards, and Kom Chad Luek Newspaper's Kom Chad Luek Awards.^[12] Awards won by the film include the following:

Starpics Awards Best Picture Best Director (Chookiat Sakveerakul) Best Actor (Mario Maurer) Best Actress (Sinjai Plengpanich) Best Supporting Actor (Songsit Rungnopakunsri) Best Screenplay (Chookiat Sakveerakul) Best Cinematography (Chitti Urnorakankij) Best Original Score (Kitti Kuremanee) Popular Film. Kom Chad Luek Awards Best Picture Best Actress (Sinjai Plengpanich) Thailand National Film Association Awards Best Picture Best Director (Chookiat Sakveerakul) Best Supporting Actress (Chermarn Boonyasak)

Bangkok Critics Assembly Awards Best Picture Best Director (Chookiat Sakveerakul) Best Actress (Sinjai Plengpanich) Best Supporting Actress (Chermarn Boonyasak) Best Screenplay (Chookiat Sakveerakul) Best Original Score (Kitti Kuremanee) Star Entertainment Awards Best Picture Best Director (Chookiat Sakveerakul) Best Actress (Sinjai Plengpanich) Best Supporting Actress (Chermarn Boonyasak) Best Screenplay (Chookiat Sakveerakul) Best Original Song Osaka Asian Film Festival 2009 Audience Award [13]

The film was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Mario Maurer) and Best Composer (Kitti Kuremanee) categories in the Asian Film Awards at the Hong Kong International Film Festival, but did not win.^[14]

In October 2008, Mario Maurer won the Best Actor award in Southeast Asian film category at the 10th Cinemanila International Film Festival.^[15]

The Love of Siam is Thailand's submission to the 81st Academy Awards.^[16

Trailer