Yongyoot Thongkongtoon
Encyclopedia
Yongyoot Thongkongtoon born February 18, 1967, is a Thai
film director
, producer
and screenwriter
. He made his debut in 2000 with the sports comedy The Iron Ladies.
, Faculty of Arts, in Bangkok
.
His debut feature in 2000 was The Iron Ladies, a fact-based sports comedy about a volleyball
team of gay
and transgender
men. The film won several awards in Thailand and at film festivals, including the Thailand National Film Association Awards
and a special mention Teddy Award
at the 2001 Berlin Film Festival. Yongyoot also directed the sequel, The Iron Ladies 2, in 2003.
In 2004, he directed Maid a spy spoof
in which maid
s are recruited for a top-secret government intelligence agency. It was his first release under the new studio GTH, formed by the merger of GMM Grammy
's GMM Pictures, producer Visute Poolvoralaks' Tai Entertainment and producer-director Jira Maligool
's Hub Ho Hin production company.
This was followed by the 2006 romantic comedy-drama Metrosexual
, about a group of women trying to figure out if the fiance of one of their friends is a closeted gay.
In 2008, he took a change in direction away from comedy to direct a segment of the horror
portmanteau 4bia
. The film, also featuring segments by Paween Purijitpanya, Banjong Pisanthanakun
and Parkpoom Wongpoom
, won the bronze audience award at the 2008 Fantasia Festival
in Montreal. The film also won a bronze audience award at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival
that same year.
His next feature in 2009 marked another change in direction to romantic drama with Best of Times
, which was Thailand's submission to the 82nd Academy Awards
.
He said his difficult experience working dealing with the horror and anxiety of 4bia prompted him to move toward drama. "I present serious issues as bitter pills coated with caramel," the director told Daily Xpress. "This movie looks how you move on with your life after you've failed. This time, I've chosen not to dilute what I want to say with comedy."
Yongyoot had intended on participating in the 4bia sequel Phobia 2, but a car wreck during production of Best of Times left him seriously injured. His segment was taken over by producer Visute Poolvoralaks.
At GTH, he is the director of international marketing, and serves as a mentor to younger filmmakers in the company.
He is also president of the Thai Film Directors' Association and since 2008 has served as artistic director of the Bangkok International Film Festival
, and was responsible for making sure all films shown in the festival had Thai subtitles.
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
. He made his debut in 2000 with the sports comedy The Iron Ladies.
Biography
Yongyoot Thongkongtoon graduated from Chulalongkorn UniversityChulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand and is the country's highest ranked university. It now has nineteen faculties and institutes. Regarded as the best and most selective university in Thailand, it consistently attracts top students from around the country...
, Faculty of Arts, in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
.
His debut feature in 2000 was The Iron Ladies, a fact-based sports comedy about a volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
team of gay
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
and transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
men. The film won several awards in Thailand and at film festivals, including the Thailand National Film Association Awards
Thailand National Film Association Awards
The Thailand National Film Association Awards is a Thai film industry ceremony held annually by the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand...
and a special mention Teddy Award
Teddy Award
The Teddy Award is an international film award for films with LGBT topics, presented by an independent jury as an official award of the Berlin International Film Festival . Here, an "independent jury" implies that its members are not officially selected by the committee of the Berlinale...
at the 2001 Berlin Film Festival. Yongyoot also directed the sequel, The Iron Ladies 2, in 2003.
In 2004, he directed Maid a spy spoof
Spy film
The spy film genre deals with the subject of fictional espionage, either in a realistic way or as a basis for fantasy . Many novels in the spy fiction genre have been adapted as films, including works by John Buchan, John Le Carré, Ian Fleming and Len Deighton...
in which maid
Maid
A maidservant or in current usage housemaid or maid is a female employed in domestic service.-Description:Once part of an elaborate hierarchy in great houses, today a single maid may be the only domestic worker that upper and even middle-income households can afford, as was historically the case...
s are recruited for a top-secret government intelligence agency. It was his first release under the new studio GTH, formed by the merger of GMM Grammy
GMM Grammy
GMM Grammy Public Company Limited is the largest media conglomerate entertainment company in Thailand. It claims a 70% share of the Thai entertainment industry. Artists on Grammy include Bird McIntyre and Loso...
's GMM Pictures, producer Visute Poolvoralaks' Tai Entertainment and producer-director Jira Maligool
Jira Maligool
Jira Maligool is a Thai film director, screenwriter and producer. He's directed two films, Mekhong Full Moon Party and The Tin Mine, and was the screenwriter behind the international hit, The Iron Ladies....
's Hub Ho Hin production company.
This was followed by the 2006 romantic comedy-drama Metrosexual
Metrosexual (film)
Metrosexual is a 2006 Thai romantic-comedy about four women who believe their best friend is about to marry a man who is gay. The film was directed by Yongyooth Thongkongtoon, who also directed The Iron Ladies...
, about a group of women trying to figure out if the fiance of one of their friends is a closeted gay.
In 2008, he took a change in direction away from comedy to direct a segment of the horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
portmanteau 4bia
4bia
4bia or Phobia is a 2008 Thai horror film in four parts, directed by Youngyooth Thongkonthun, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Parkpoom Wongpoom, and Paween Purijitpanya.-Title:The title is a pun on the word "phobia"...
. The film, also featuring segments by Paween Purijitpanya, Banjong Pisanthanakun
Banjong Pisanthanakun
Bangjong Pisanthanakun is Thai filmmaker and screenwriter. With Parkpoom Wongpoom, he co-directed and co-wrote the hit 2004 Thai horror film, Shutter, and the 2007 horror film, Alone.-Education and early career:...
and Parkpoom Wongpoom
Parkpoom Wongpoom
Parkpoom Wongpoom is a Thai filmmaker and screenwriter. With Banjong Pisanthanakun, he co-directed and co-wrote the hit 2004 Thai horror film, Shutter, and the 2007 horror film, Alone.-Education and early career:...
, won the bronze audience award at the 2008 Fantasia Festival
Fantasia Festival
Fantasia International Film Festival is a genre film festival that has been based mainly in Montreal since its founding in 1996...
in Montreal. The film also won a bronze audience award at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival
Toronto After Dark Film Festival
Toronto After Dark Film Festival is a showcase of horror, sci-fi, action and cult cinema held annually in Toronto, Canada at the Bloor Cinema. The festival premieres a diverse selection of feature-length and short-films from around the world including new works from Asia, Europe and North...
that same year.
His next feature in 2009 marked another change in direction to romantic drama with Best of Times
Best of Times (2009 film)
Best of Times is a Thai romantic drama film directed by Yongyoot Thongkongtoon and released by GTH in 2009. Starring Arak Amornsupasiri, Yarinda Bunnag, Krissana Sreadthatamrong and Sansanee Wattananukul, it features the story of Keng, a young veterinarian who, during giving computer classes to a...
, which was Thailand's submission to the 82nd Academy Awards
82nd Academy Awards
The 82nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences , honored the best films of 2009 and took place March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. The ceremony was scheduled well after...
.
He said his difficult experience working dealing with the horror and anxiety of 4bia prompted him to move toward drama. "I present serious issues as bitter pills coated with caramel," the director told Daily Xpress. "This movie looks how you move on with your life after you've failed. This time, I've chosen not to dilute what I want to say with comedy."
Yongyoot had intended on participating in the 4bia sequel Phobia 2, but a car wreck during production of Best of Times left him seriously injured. His segment was taken over by producer Visute Poolvoralaks.
At GTH, he is the director of international marketing, and serves as a mentor to younger filmmakers in the company.
He is also president of the Thai Film Directors' Association and since 2008 has served as artistic director of the Bangkok International Film Festival
Bangkok International Film Festival
The Bangkok International Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in Bangkok, Thailand, since 2003. In addition to film screenings, seminars, gala events and the Golden Kinnaree Awards.-First years:...
, and was responsible for making sure all films shown in the festival had Thai subtitles.