Love of Siam

Love of Siam, written and directed by Chookiat Sakveerakul, is a Thai drama notable for its unusually long 150 minute runtime; it opened on November 22, 2007, topping the Thai box office, and was Thailand's submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 81st Academy Awards. The film swept Best Film at nearly every major Thai award ceremony that season, including the Thailand National Film Association Awards, Starpics Awards, and Bangkok Critics Assembly Awards. Its promotional materials deliberately hid the film's gay storyline, marketing it as a heterosexual romance; the director said they wanted to reach a wider audience, but the strategy left some viewers feeling deceived and provoked homophobic reactions. Who it's for: anyone curious about a Thai drama that swept the country's major film awards while its marketing deliberately concealed its LGBT theme, later gaining cult status. Who it's not for: viewers wanting something short and light, since this runs well over two hours.