The bloody serial-killer thriller Slice (Cheun) is the top nominee for the Subhanahongsa Awards, the Thailand National Film Awards, announced yesterday.

Released by Five Star Production, Slice is nominated in 14 of the 16 categories, including best picture, director and screenplay for Kongkiat Komesiri, who wrote the script from a story by Wisit Sasanatieng. Best-actor nominee "Pe" Arak Amornsupasiri portrays a convict let out of prison to find a serial killer who's believed to be his former best friend. Child star Attapan Poolsawasdi has a best-supporting actor nod for the emotionally challenging role as an abused childhood friend of Pe's character. Jessica Pasaphan is nominated for supporting actress for her role as Pe's hairdresser girlfriend.

October Sonata, a romance and social-class drama by writer-director Somkiat Vituranich, produced by NGR, has 11 nominations, including best picture, director and screenplay. "Koy" Ratchawin Wongviriya is a nominee for best actress for her portrayal of the illiterate heroine who's hopelessly in love with a leftist intellectual during Thailand's politically turbulent 1970s. Pitsanu Nimsakul as her Chinese immigrant husband has a supporting actor nod.

Another Five Star Production thriller, Pen-ek Ratanaruang's Nymph (Nang Mai), has seven nods, including best director and screenplay. Noppachai Chaiyanama, as a photographer in a troubled marriage who becomes obsessed with a strangely alluring tree, is up for best actor. His character's cheating wife, pop star "Gybzy" Wanida Termthanaporn, has a best actress nod.

With six nominations is Best of Times (Kwaam Jam San Tae Rak Chan Yaao). Produced by GTH and directed by Yongyoot Thongkongtoon, the romantic drama is up for best picture, best director and best screenplay for writers Wannareudee Pongsitsak, Omrapon Paendintong and Nontra Kumwong. A supporting actor nod goes Krissana Setthatumrong, who portrays a widower with Alzheimers and Sunsanee Wattananukul has a supporting actress nod for her role as widow who takes a shine to the forgetful gent.

A Moment in June, an indie romantic drama released by Sahamongkol Film International, also has six nominations, including best screenplay for writer-director O Nathapon. Shahkrit Yamnarm earns a best actor nod for his portrayal as the gay director of a stage play set in the 1970s. Supporting actor and actress nods also go to the older couple in the movie, Suchao Pongvilai and Deuntem Salitul.

Another best picture nominee is the schoolboy drugs drama Samchuk, which has four nominations, including a best director nod for Thanit Jitnukul. Paramej Noi-um is up for best actor for his portrayal of a principal trying to get a group of his students to quit using drugs.

A surprising choice for best picture is Citizen Juling, an indie documentary by Kraisak Choonhavan, Ing K and Manit Sriwanichpoom covering violence and politics in Thailand's Deep South. The 4.5-hour film is also up for best editing. It earlier took the top prize at the Kom Chad Luek Awards.

Other best actress nominees include Chutima Teepanat as a suspended college trying to find herself Europe in Dear Galileo (Nee Tam Galileo), Sirin "Cris" Horwang, a winsome career gal looking for love in Bangkok Traffic (Love) Story (Rot Fai Faa ... Maha Na Ter) and Siriwimol "Mai" Charoenpura as a beef-noodle vendor who isn't serving beef with her noodles in Meat Grinder (Cheuat Gon Chim).

Given by the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand, the Subhanahongsa Awards ceremony will be held on March 28 at Bangkok's Sala Chalermkrung Theatre.

Here's the complete list of nominees:

Best picture

• Best of Times (Kwaam Jam San Tae Rak Chan Yaao), GTH
• Slice (Cheun), Five Star Production
• Citizen Juling (Polamuang Juling), Kraisak Choonhavan, Ing K, Manit Sriwanichpoom
• Samchuk, Pacific Island Film
• October Sonata (Ruk Tee Ror Koi) , NGR

• Kongkiat Komesiri, Slice
• Pen-ek Ratanaruang, Nymph (Nang Mai)
• Thanit Jitnukul, Samchuk
• Yongyoot Thongkongtoon, Best of Times
• Somkiat Vituranich, October Sonata

Actor

• Jirayu La-ongmanee, Phobia 2 (Haa Phrang)
• Shahkrit Yamnarm, A Moment in June (Nor Ka Na Rak)
• Noppachai Chaiyanama, Nymph
• Paramej Noi-um, Samchuk
• Arak Amornsupasiri, Slice

• Chutima Teepanat, Dear Galileo (Nee Tam Galileo)
• Ratchawin Wongviriya, October Sonata
• Wanida Termthanaporn, Nymph
• Sirin "Cris" Horwang, Bangkok Traffic (Love) Story (Rot Fai Faa ... Maha Na Ter)
• Siriwimol "Mai" Charoenpura, Meat Grinder (Cheuat Gon Chim)

• Krissana Setthatumrong, Best of Times
• Pitsanu Nimsakul, October Sonata
• Ray MacDonald, Dear Galileo
• Suchao Pongvilai, A Moment in June
• Attapan Poolsawasdi, Slice

• Jarinporn Junkiat, Dear Galileo
• Jessica Pasaphan, Slice
• Deuntem Salitul, A Moment in June
• Marsha Wattanapanich, Phobia 2
• Sunsanee Wattananukul, Best of Times

• Best of Times, Wannareudee Pongsitsak, Omrapon Paendintong and Nontra Kumwong
• Slice, Kongkiat Komesiri and Wisit Sasanatieng
• A Moment in June, O Nathapon
• Nymph, Pen-ek Ratanaruang
• October Sonata, Somkiat Vituranich

• Tanon Sattarujawong , The Happiness of Kati (Kwam Suk Kong Kati)
• Thanachart Boonla, Slice
• Chankit Chamnivikaipong, Nymph
• Piraphan Laoyont, Samchuk
• Teerawat Rujintham, October Sonata

Editing

• MR Pattamanada Yukol, The Happiness of Kati
• Sunit Asvinikul, Slice
• MR Pattamanada Yukol, Nymph
• Ing K, Citizen Juling
• Wisitsorn Suthichaiyakul, Saranair the Movie (Saranair Hao Peng)

Art direction

• Thamrongrat Wanitsombat, The Happiness of Kati
• Thana Mekhaumput and Wuthikorn Sripothong, Slice
• Meat Grinder
• Polek Sangkakul, A Moment in June
• Saksiri Chantarangsri and Wittaya Chaimongkol, October Sonata

Score

• Chatchai Pongprapapan, Khan Kluay 2
• Nop Ponchamni,  The Happiness of Kati
• Wild at Heart, Slice
• Hualumpong Rhythm, Dear Galileo
• Wild at Heart, October Sonata

Song

• Banjob Ponla-in, "Kod Kan Wai" ("กอดกันไว้"), Samchuk
• Sky Band, "Fun Rai" ("ฝันร้าย"), Slice
• Kongdet Jaturanrasami, "Thang Thee Tong Dern" ("ทางที่ต้องเดิน"), Khan Kluay 2
• Seefah, "Ja Dai Mai Luem Kan" ("จะได้ไม่ลืมกัน"), Best of Times
• Boyd Kosiyabongse, "Khwamsuk" ("ความสุข"), The Happiness of Kati

Recording and sound mixing

• Kantana Sound Studio, Khan Kluay 2
• Ramintra Recording Studio, Slice
• Ramintra Recording Studio, Nymph
• Kantana Sound Lab, Phobia 2
• Ramintra Recording Studio, October Sonata

Costume design

• Kiatchai Keereesri, Slice
• Suthee Muanwaja, Bangkok Traffic (Love) Story
• Nitchara Wannalai, Yam Yasothon 2
• Nitchara Wannalai, A Moment in June
• Noppadon Techo, October Sonata

Make-up

• Narudee Sakulpongchai, Slice
• Siwakorn Suklungkarn and Nattakarn Uthaiwan, Meat Grinder
• Thanathatch Kittikunathip, Bangkok Traffic (Love) Story
• Siwakorn Suklungkarn and Than Thunyasayaporn, Phobia 2
• Thanawut Boosamsai, October Sonata

Visual effects

• Kantana Animation Studio, Khan Kluay 2
• Inverse Forge Studio, My Ex (Fan Kao)
• Phakpoom R Suwatpanitch, The Scout
• Oriental Post and Kantana Animation, Phobia 2

(Via The Nation; thanks Orn!)