The Iron Ladies

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Movie: The Iron Ladies
Thai: สตรีเหล็ก
Director: Youngyooth Thongkonthun
Writer: Visuttchai Boonyakarnjawa, Jira Maligool, Youngyooth Thongkonthun
Producer:
Cinematography: Jira Maligool
Release Date: March 8, 2000
Runtime: 104 min.
Language: Thai
Country: Thailand

Plot

"The Iron Ladies (Satree-lex)" tells the story about Thai male volleyball players that successfully won national championships in 1996. Their skills and talents of playing volleyball are second to none. What matter is that most of them are gays.

"Mon," who is a talented volleyball player fails to be selected to join the team times and times again because he is gay.

"Jung," Mon’s best friend, also experiences the same failure, but is much more optimistic and willing to be shoulder to cry on for him. The door of opportunity has opened to both of them when the new coach comes to town. Coach Bee is assigned by the Sheriff to make a team, representing the province. The announcement of forming a dream team is new hope, not only to Mon and Jung, but also to Man, an arrogant player, and Chai, an enthusiastic one.

Mon, Jung, man, and Chai can make it to the team. Man is selected to be the captain. Before all, he uses the authority of the captain to get rid of the gay players. When Coach Bee disagrees, Man and his gang walk out on them.

Jung and Mon help Coach Bee by gathering the old good friends to make the team. Coach Bee has finally met Nong, a gay sergeant of the army; Pia, a transsexual star of Cabaret Show, along with her boyfriend, Chat, and Wit, the only son of a Chinese family that his being gay is unknown to them. To their surprise, upon their return to tLampang Province, they found out that Coach Bee has another 3 new players to join them. Much more surprise than that, the new three are also gays! Everyone is happy, but Chai, the only straight man of the team.

The team goes well in the play-offs. After that, their vacation leaves are over. They have to return to their regular jobs. Six months seem to be long enough to be well prepared for the big match, but their absence of practicing is no more than a trouble. The one whom Coach Bee worries most is Pia; her breaking-up with Chat may stop her from coming back to the team. However, everyone gathers again, including Pia because friends become what he needs most in the time of sorrow. Spending time together for a month before the big match is important to them. They learn about how to be together in harmony, understand more of each other, and overcome the obstacles between them. It is not easy; they all know it. The situation gets worse when some authoritative committees want to get rid of them for being gays. They must put their hearts and souls together in order to win the championship, and most importantly, themselves.