Mon: Sahaparp Virakamin	Jung: Chaichan Nimpoonsawas
Nong: Giorgio Maiocchi	Pia: Gokgorn Benjathikul
Chai: Jessadaporn Pholdee	Wit: Ekachai Buranapanit
Coach Bee: Siridhana Hongsophon	Director: Yongyoot Thongkongtoon

30 Second Bottom Line: Based on the true story of a male Thai volleyball team that competes in the 1996 national championships, The Iron Ladies follows the exploits of its gay, transvestite, transsexual and straight team members, with delightful candor.

Story Line: Mon just wants to play volleyball. He loves the sport but has had difficulty being accepted by teammates once they know he is gay. Jung sells sweet rice cakes at the market and is an unabashed flirt, ever the drama-queen (pun intended). He enjoys the complete support of his family. His mother sews great little outfits for him and his father comments on the texture of his make-up foundation.

Coach Bee, who is a lesbian, is assembling what will hopefully be a championship volleyball team to take to the Nationals. Tryouts are open to everyone and selection will be on performance. When Mon and Jung are chosen, there's a general refusal to play with them and Chai is the only straight member of the team who remains-after some soul searching and a talk with his girlfriend-when the rest of the players leave.

Mon and Jung are encouraged by Coach Bee to help recruit some good players. The line up of players here is impressive, not only in their on-court abilities. Wit is about to be married. His quite traditional family would disown him if they knew he was gay. Pia, a transsexual, identifies as female. She is a glamorous showgirl; and no one would question the girl part. She has a very attentive boyfriend whose family is pushing him into an arranged marriage. Nong is a soldier; his muscle bound physique belied by long, blue fingernails.

On the road to the championships, The Iron Ladies, as they are dubbed, build a tremendous fan base. Of course, not all those in authority are thrilled. Coach Bee is the voice of reason with officials on behalf of her team. She points out that the team exhibits good sportsmanship while others do not and the fans love them. When the Iron Ladies succumb to pressure not to wear make-up or be so flamboyant when they play-they lose-and the fans lose interest.

It's not hard to figure out what puts the Ladies back on their game but the ride to get there is a riotous one.

Tell Me More About It: The Iron Ladies has won the Audience Award for Best Feature at the San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival as well as the New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. It is the second highest grossing Thai film ever made at nearly $2.5 million US dollars.

Director Yongyoot Thongkongtoon makes his feature film debut with Iron Ladies. Regarding the cast, Yongyoot points out only one has previous acting credits and he adds, "In fact, of the six leading actors in the film, the only one who is gay is the one who looks exactly like a beautiful woman." That actor, Gokgorn Benjathikul, who plays Pia, likes the diversity of personalities portrayed. He says, "All five katoey members of the team are presented quite differently. Some are quiet; others are extroverted, depending on their background."

Scenes filmed at a birthday party in a nightclub are very dark, making it difficult to see what is going on-and there appears to be plenty going on-including a fight. Too bad this is obscured. It looks as if they were using only available light, a la the Dogma school of filmmaking.

Yongyoot says the film "…captures the spirit, the personality and the dignity of the players…." He wants audiences to appreciate the struggle for social acceptance these players went through and to get more from it than just fun. Gays experience little violence in Thailand, as compared with the US and other Western countries, but the issues of social acceptance and discrimination certainly exist.

Stick around as the end credits roll for glimpses of members of the real Iron Ladies. It's surprising how close in resemblance the actors portraying them look and exhibit some of the same mannerisms.