Beautiful Boxer

Nong Toom knew from early childhood that she was a girl, and grew up in a boy's body. Her family was poor, and she took up Muay Thai both to earn money and to be able to become the person she was. She fought wearing make-up, kissed her opponents after beating them, and became known across Thailand. Every fight she won widened the distance between the masculinity expected of her and the identity she already knew was hers. Ekachai Uekrongtham's film is based on the real life of Parinya Charoenphol. She is played by Asanee Suwan, an actual Muay Thai fighter. The fight scenes are real, and the film is not about winning but about what it costs a person to be herself.