Five Star Production

Five Star Production Co. Ltd. ( th, ไฟว์สตาร์ โปรดักชั่น) is a Thai film production company. It was founded in 1973 by Kiat Iamphungphorn and is today headed by his children, Aphiradee and her younger brothers Kiatkamon and Kiattikul. The company's films include the works of Wisit Sasanatieng (''Tears of the Black Tiger'', '' Citizen Dog'') and Pen-Ek Ratanaruang ('' Ruang Talok 69'', '' Monrak Transistor'', '' Last Life in the Universe'', ''Invisible Waves''). Other directors associated with Five Star include Thanit Jitnukul, Bhandit Rittakol, and Poj Arnon.

History

Introduction

Five Star Production was one of the first Thai film production companies to present films in international festivals since 1976 with ''The War Lord''. ''Tears of the Black Tiger'', by Wisit Sasanatieng, was the first Thai film to compete in Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001, followed by '' Monrak Transistor'' by Pen-ek Ratanaruang, which was selected at Director's Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival in 2002. '' Last Life in the Universe'' by Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Five Star's biggest co-production at the time, collected many awards, including the best leading actor award at the Venice Film Festival in 2003.

Production House

An example of collaboration with other international artists is the 2006 production ''Black Night'', an omnibus film of stories from Hong Kong (Patrick Leung's ''Next Door''), Japan (Takahiko Akiyama's ''Dark Hole'') and Thailand (Thanit Jitnukul's ''The Lost Memory'').

Five Star Production was represented at Cannes in 2007 for Quinzaine des Realisateurs (Directors’ Fortnight) with the film '' Ploy'', directed by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang in a co-production with Fortissimo Films. It was the director's second time chosen for the category at Cannes. Not only at Cannes was the film a success, but also in India for the Fipresci 9th Asian's Cinefan Fest of Asian and Arab Cinema 2007.

'' Muay Thai Chaiya'' was released immediately after Ploy and was a film honoring the roots of Thai martial arts. Selected as the closing film for the 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival, the film continued to Miami, Italy, and other places.

Company Info

Five Star Production Established in 1973, Five Star Production Company Limited is one of Thailand's production and distribution houses. Through the years, Five Star Production has expanded, becoming a motion picture studio in 1979, expanding its activities to TV program production, and producing drama series between 1992 and 1998, along with making subsequent successful business deals with Piprodia Entertainment. The firm has also produced a variety show aimed at discovering new talents and launching the careers of actors and actresses. Five Star has recently created a new division, Stadio, a full-service provider for film marketing.

Five Star's film collection comprises about 250 films, made by the 70 Thai film directors the company has been working with, including many of the most famous ones.

References

{{No footnotes, date=December 2009
* Amnatcharoenrit, Bamrung. May 2, 2005
Lights, Camera, Action
''Bangkok Post'', Business, Page 3 (retrieved October 5, 2006).

Film production companies of Thailand
Companies based in Bangkok
Entertainment companies established in 1973
1973 establishments in Thailand