PLEASURE FACTORY

An award-winning film and theatre director, Thai-born Ekachai Uekrongtham is also the Founding Artistic Director of ACTION Theatre, one of Singapore's premier theatre companies.  

His first feature film Beautiful Boxer (2003), based on the true story of Thailand 's famed transsexual kickboxer, has garnered two Thai "Oscars" and twelve other awards from international film festivals around the world. He was named Asia's Most Promising Director at the 2004 International Film Festival of India, and Outstanding Emerging Talent at Outfest 2004 in Los Angeles. Beautiful Boxer was nominated for the GLAAD 2006 Media Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release (USA).  

On the theatre front, Ekachai has directed and produced more than 100 plays and musicals in Singapore, China, America, Malaysia and Thailand. He's best known for having conceptualized, produced and directed Chang & Eng, the acclaimed stage musical based upon the true story of the original Siamese Twins. Other theatre works include Autumn Tomyam (Singapore "Tony" Award for Play of the Year 2002), Corporate Animals - The Musical (Best Musical 1995), Ka-Ra-you-OK? (Best Musical 1998), Viva Viagra!, Mail Order Brides & Other Oriental Takeaway (Official Selection – 1998 New York International Fringe Festival) and the Asian premiere productions of Pulitzer Prize-winning Proof, Wit and Doubt.   

A recipient of the Singapore Youth Award and the JCCI Culture Award, Ekachai was named one of the 20 Leaders of the New Millennium for Society & Culture by Asiaweek. He has previously headed the Development Unit of Thailand's GMM Pictures and the Singapore headquarter of Sir Cameron Mackintosh, producer of Les Misérables, Miss Saigon and Phantom of the Opera. He has also recently set up Spicy Apple Films, a film production company based in Singapore.