THE STORY OF Thailand's Parinya Charoenphol (or Nong Toom) is the stuff of any filmmaker's dreams.
A poor rural lad finds his calling in the world of Thai kickboxing. He fights to provide for his family, working his way up through the ranks - but the boy really wants to become a girl. And so he turns the masculine world of Muay Thai on its ear as his feminine side begins to take control, wearing makeup in the ring while fighting his way onto the sport's centre stage - Bangkok's Lumpini Stadium.
The story just had to be turned into a film. But what adds to its legend is that the project was handed over to the charge of a first-time filmmaker - Ekachai Uekrongtham - and that the man chosen to take the lead role, Asanee Suwan, was a novice, someone whose only previous acting experience was in a music video.
History shows now that Beautiful Boxer was a hit in its homeland, picked up press all over the world on its December release there, before being invited to screen at this year's prestigious Berlin Film Festival. And that unknown lead would take home the Thai equivalent of the Oscar, the Supannahongsa, for best actor.
Now the film is being taken to the world, and its leading lights - its director, its star and its inspiration - are in Hong Kong to spread the good word. As Nong Toom and Asanee are preparing to greet the camera, Ekachai recounts how the project came to fruition.
The Thai-born director has been a long-time player in Singapore's theatre world - his musical Chang & Eve, about the original Siamese twins - is the island nation's longest-running local production and he is presently negotiating to take it to the US. But he had been looking to break into the film world. And the story of Nong Toom proved just the ticket.