Thai writer-director Ekachai Uekrongtham has wrapped principal photography of his first Chinese-language feature, Pleasure Factory, financed by his new Singapore-based production company Spicy Apple Films.

The HD feature, set in Singapore 's red-light district Geylang, stars Taiwanese Golden Horse best actress Yang Kuei Mei and up-and-coming Thai actor Ananda Everingham.

Singapore 's distributor-producer InnoForm Media has come onboard as co-investor and holds the Singapore rights. A release is expected after the second quarter of this year.

Ekachai previously directed Beautiful Boxer, produced by Thailand 's GMM Pictures, which was sold to more than 30 territories, travelled to more than 100 film festivals and won 15 international awards including best film at Torino and the Grand Prix at Brussels.

Pleasure Factory , selected for Locarno 's Open Doors last year, is the debut project of Spicy Apple. 'With my own production company, I plan to alternate between working with larger studios on regional co-productions and directing or producing projects that I am passionate about. It'll be a nice balance,' said Ekachai.

Also on Spicy Apple's slate are The Coffin, the long-gestating horror thriller which is now being set up as a Thailand-Singapore co-production with GMM Grammy's subsidiary TIFA as main producer, as well as a Singapore-set Chinese-language picture about a father who advertises for son-in-laws.

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