Cherd Songsri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cherd Songsri
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| เชิด ทรงศรี | |
Cherd Songsri on the set of his 2001 film, Behind the Painting.
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| Born | September 20, 1931 Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand
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| Died | May 21, 2006 (aged 74) |
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| Years active | 1960s–2000s |
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Cherd Songsri (Thai: เชิด ทรงศรี) was a famous Thai film director, screenwriter, and film producer. He lived from September 20, 1931, to May 21, 2006. Cherd was known for making movies about Thai history and culture. He wanted to show his vision of Thai culture to people around the world.
His most famous film is the 1977 romance movie Plae Kao (The Scar). This movie earned more money than any Thai film before it. It also won an award at the 1981 Three Continents Festival in Nantes, France.
Contents
Who Was Cherd Songsri?
Early Life and Career
Cherd Songsri was born in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand. When he was young, he learned how to make nang talung shadow puppets. These puppets were made from animal skins.
Later, he worked as a school teacher in Uttaradit Province. After that, he became an editor for different publications. He edited magazines like Movie and TV Weekly. Cherd also wrote articles, short stories, and scripts for radio and television shows.
Starting in Filmmaking
Cherd made his first film, Norah, in 1966. He did almost everything himself for this movie. He wrote the script, found the money, and directed the filming. He continued to work this way throughout his career.
Another early film he made was the comedy Poh-pla-lai. These first movies were very successful in Thailand.
Learning More About Movies
In the late 1960s, Cherd went to the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) to study filmmaking. He also trained with director Walter Doniger at Burbank Studios in the United States.
While in the U.S., Cherd thought a lot about Thai culture. When he returned to Thailand, he started his own film company called Cherdchai. He wanted to make movies that showed his idea of "Thainess." This meant showing the traditional values and culture of Thailand from past times. He was one of the first Thai directors to make films for international audiences.
Sharing Thai Culture Through Film
Films from this time include Khwam Rak (1973) and Pho Kai Chae (1975). His biggest and most important film was Plae Kao (The Scar) in 1977. It starred Sorapong Chatree and Nantana Ngaograjang.
Plae Kao: A Big Hit
Plae Kao tells the sad love story of two young people in rural Thailand. It became the biggest box-office hit in Thailand at that time. The movie also won an award at the Nantes Three Continents Festival.
In 1998, The Scar was chosen as one of the world's 360 classic movies. This was decided by the Museum of the Moving Image in London and film experts worldwide. The Scar was later remade in 2002 as Kwan-Riam.
Some Thai critics felt that Cherd was showing a stereotypical image of Thailand. But Cherd believed it was important to show Thai traditions to the world. He said he was stubborn and kept including these ideas in all his films.
Other Important Films
Cherd's later films often followed a similar style to Plae Kao. They were romantic stories set in historical, rural Thailand. Some of his other works include:
- Puen Pang (1987): This film was about two sisters who fell in love with the same man.
- Tawipob (1990): This was the first movie based on a famous novel by Thommayanti. It was about a modern woman who travels back in time to the era of King Rama V. She gets involved in the politics of that time.
- Amdaeng Muen kab nai Rid (Muen and Rid) (1994): This movie was based on a true story from the time of King Rama IV. It was about a woman who asked the King to grant equal rights for women.
Later Years and Legacy
Cherd directed and produced a total of 18 films during his career. His last film was Khang Lang Phap (Behind the Painting) in 2001. This movie was based on a classic Thai novel.
Besides making films, Cherd often attended major international film festivals. These included the Cannes, Tokyo, and Hong Kong festivals.
Cherd had plans for other movies, including a film about Thai statesman Pridi Phanomyong. He also wanted to make a movie that told the "truth" about King Mongkut and Anna Leonowens. Their story is known from films like The King and I. These films are banned in Thailand because of how they show the king.
Cherd battled cancer for the last four years of his life. He even wrote a book about his experience called Bantuek Kab Kwam-tai (A Diary of Death). He passed away in Bangkok on May 21, 2006.
Filmography
- Norah (1966)
- Mekala (1967)
- Akara-taranee (1968)
- Phayasok (1969)
- Lampoo (1970)
- Kon Jai Bod (1971)
- Poh-pla-lai (A Light in the Dark, 1972)
- Khwam Rak (The Love, 1974)
- Pho Kai Chae (1976)
- Plae Kao (The Scar) (1977)
- Leud Suphan (1979)
- Poh Pla Lai (35mm remake, 1981)
- Puen Pang (1983)
- Ploy Talay (The Gem from the Deep, 1987)
- Tawipob (Another World, 1990)
- The Tree of Life (1992)
- Southern Winds (1993)
- Reun Mayura (House of the Peacock, 1996)
- Amdaeng Muen kab nai Rid (Muen and Rid) (1994)
- Khang lang phap (Behind the Painting) (2001)
