Indie Movies Storm Thailand National Film Awards

There was a considerable upset at the 23rd edition of the Thailand National Film Awards this week as the independent films MARY IS HAPPY, MARY IS HAPPY and TANG WONG stormed the mainstream opposition, coming away with a staggering four Golden Swan trophies each, while the hotly tipped blockbuster PEE MAK left almost empty handed.

The Subhanahongsa Awards for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay went to TANG WONG and writer director Kangdei Jaturanasmee. The film focuses upon four Thai schoolboys immersing themselves in traditional culture in exchange for their prayers being answered at a holy shrine. Nutthasit Kotimanuswanich, one of the film's young stars, came away with best supporting actor. The film premiered at last year's Berlin International Film Festival and has since screened at the Hong Kong International Festival and maintained a Thai theatrical run.

The Thailand National Film awards for best actress and best supporting actress went to Patcha Poonpiriya and Chonnikan Netjiu for their role as inseparable friends in MARY IS HAPPY, MARY IS HAPPY, the unusual story of a disaffected boarding school attendee and was based upon 410 consecutive messages from a real-life Bangkok schoolgirl's Twitter feed!

Other award winners on the night included Tony Jaa's 3D martial-arts action movie TOM-YUM-GOONG 2, which received two awards – visual effects and sound.

Former Federation president Jaruek Kaljaruek, an executive at the Kantana studio, was given the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The full list of winners is as follows:

Best Picture: Tang Wong

Director: Kongdej Jaturanrasmee, Tang Wong

Screenplay: Kongdej Jaturanrasmee, Tang Wong

Actor: Nadech Kugimiya, Koo Kam

Actress: Patcha Poonpiriya, Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy

Supporting Actor: Nutthasit Kotimanuswanich, Tang Wong

Supporting Actress: Chonnikan Netjui, Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy

Cinematography: Pairach Khumwan, Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy

Film Editing: Chonlasit Upanigkit Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy

Recording and Sound Mixing: Ram Indra Sound Mixing Studio, Tom-Yum-Goong 2

Original Song: "Yuewya", Cin Thosaporn Achawanantakul, Last Summer

Original Score: Chatchai Pongprapapan, Jan Dara: The Finale

Art Direction: Akradej Kaewkote, Pee Mak Phra Khanong

Costume Design: Vorathon Krisanakalin, Koo Kam

Makeup: Arporn Meebangyang, Thongsuk 13

Visual Effects: Surreal Studio Company and Thossaporn Poonnart, Tom-Yum-Goong 2

Lifetime Achievement Award, Jaruek Kaljaruek

Popular Vote Awards: actor Nadech Kugimiya and actress Suthata Udomsilp