“People In The Dark” - PG-12 Film Too Hot For Thai Govt

It’s a classic Thai cerebral reaction. Don’t like something? Deny it, ignore it, away with it. Why tackle the root causes. Out of sight, out of mind. By not mentioning a problem you can make it – yes – disappear. The forbidden and denied though are more intriguing. Which is why the Thai powers that be just shot themselves once again in the foot.

As back then, after Thailand’s Youtube-ban, when only more of those slanderous videos turned up. Now everybody wants to see „Children in the Dark,“ a Thai-Japanese film invited to the Bangkok Int’l Film Festival 2008. The film was canceled at the last minute with no given reason. A film rated PG-12 in Japan. Requiring “Parental Guidance.”

Banning a movie rated for children older than twelve. Too tough for Thailand’s authorities - the ministry of tourism in this case, official sponsor of the film fest. Censors’ reason being: The film features the social problem of trafficking in Thai children, buying of internal organs, children who encounter injury and violence and have to deal with pedophiles.

“Too Taboo to Comfort,” titled Daily Xpress. See no evil, have no evil. The cancelation of the film though proves to bet he film’s best possible promotion. The fest’s unshown film is the fest’s most talked about. Kind of a Streisand effect - thanks Wise Kwai.

Yes, the film’s makers are utterly disappointed. Even though the turn of events means a big promotional boost for the film and its director Junji Sakamoto, who has garnered quite some international awards and invited the media to the FCCT to make his point.

„We are very sorry that we can’t play this film at this fest - since it’s shot in Thailand,” Sakamoto told the FCCT. “We were very ready to edit the film to cater for the censorship in Thailand. The festival had actually asked us to bring the film without any cuts. Original films can be played at the festival, they said.”

What went wrong? Explains producer Yukiko Shiii, ironically: “The film is that bad, in Japan it first got a R-15 rating for children older than 15. Then it was rated as a PG-12. Under parents’ guidance children older than twelve are allowed to see it in Japan.”

In short: What kids in Japan are legally allowed to see is to hard to swallow for grown up Thais.

Shiii: “You’ll find more sensational images everywhere on the internet, they’re that widespread. The film is nothing in comparison to that. We just wanted to show people how reality really looks.”

There’s even more patronizing to it. The semi-official uninvite came from the ministry of tourism, says director Sakamoto: “In August we were invited, on September 17th we were uninvited. They used a tricky way. Said we didn’t have the proper permissions.”

Said that “we’d filmed something that is hidden. We just tried to open up the issues,” says directer Sakamoto. “We got all the visas and permissions needed. There is nothing unlawful.”

Producer Masaomi Karasaki wants to cry, but laughs off the Thai powers that be politely: “Every foreign film producer must get an approval from the Thai authorities to shoot here. Our first request was denied. We then proposed it to be a joint production between Thailand and Japan. Many foreign movies do that. So we got the permissions of all the authorities. And the film became a huge success in Japan. We didn’t expect this.”




Sakamoto, Shiii, Karasaki, they again and again emphasize how sorry they are that the film is rejected in Thailand. Director Sakamoto: “I wanted to see the reactions of the Thai people when they see the movie. How they feel. I’m very sorry not to see those reactions.”

“This film must be shown to all of the world,“ reads an earlier statement, „especially in Thailand for the children’s future. To stop this film is the same as shutting children’s futures, also shutting the future in the country.”

Producer Karasaki: “We expected an open Thailand. But this film is not just about Thailand. It’s about the whole region, helping people on the outside to understand the problem.”

What problem?!

Explains Wise Kwai of the Thai Film Journal:

„(…) the old ways still cling. While the festival may be programmed by some hip indie filmmakers who’d like to shake things up, Thailand’s establishment is still predominantly conservative with leanings toward authoritarianism. Which is why they felt they had to ban a film like Children of the Dark.“

No glossy brochure movie, but a “drama full of pain,” says producer Karasaki.

Raising the question - yes, it’s related to the topic: Ever wondered how many psychiatrists you’ll find in Thailand.

The mental and psychological seems to be of lesser relevance in a country where people are forced to endure more mental stress and deprivation of comfort than in a more developed place.

Not begging the question, and no, psychiatry doesn’t relate to diseases of affluence.

It’s a tough search though to find psychiatrists in Thailand – as psychological and mental needs are considered unfavorable, read: unprofitable and are therefore denied, ignored, brushed off.

Same with Children in the Dark. Denied, ignored, brushed off.

Of all things in this country adoring her children.

More on Children in the Dark @ Wise Kwai’s Film Journal




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September 24, 2008 | Filed Under Culture & Arts, The Thai Mind 

Comments

10 Responses to ““People In The Dark” - PG-12 Film Too Hot For Thai Govt”

  1. The Ghost on September 24th, 2008 11.01 pm

    Nice post. I actually wrote about this yesterday, wrapping up various qutoes from various news stories. I’ll post your link on this story.

    For your readers, if they want:

    Child Prostitution Film Pulled from Bangkok Festival as Thailand Continues ‘See No Evil’ Stance Toward Trafficking

  2. number&number on September 24th, 2008 11.16 pm

    Thailand holds the mirror to itself; does it like what it sees?

    I shall not be attending this years film fest; the film I wanted to see has been banned, and the fest has become an event to celebrate asianness rather than an international film festival. Asian filmmakers must feel small in the wake of Hollywood’s filibustering in the global entertainment markets; Thai film distributors have been seriously dumbing down Thai audiences with a steady stream of crap from the West, (as if that was all that is being produced in the world) so as not to displace the cache of the Thai native film market. The average mediocre Thai film is starting to look good these days compared to the inter fare on in cinemas here.

    It’s a shame that the one film I wanted to see at the fest has been banned, for fear of hurting Thai culture, as claimed by the chairman of the Thai Film Federation who also happens to be the MD at Kantana …

  3. 'Pong on September 25th, 2008 6.52 am

    Film is the most conservative medium in Thai media. Considering, media in Thailand has the most freedom in the region, the censorship in cinema situation is going nowhere. The censorship is very subjective in the process. That means it depends on your luck and rapport with viewer.

    That is to say this industry is the weakest for the authority to have the control over the content, Whereas the film industry, I have to say this, is quite rotten with money and popularity. In my life I have never seen Thai filmmakers united to fight this old issue. (But Thai union culture was weakened before its maturity, anyway. If you think Thatcher was good, have a look at Thai politics history.)

    I studied in Film in Thammasat University 20 years. Back then, we were actually told by the lecturer what to be aware of the sensitive issues film if we wanted to get script approvals.

  4. Children of the Dark ban at BKKIFF-Thai Film Journal « FACT - Freedom Against Censorship Thailand on September 26th, 2008 12.54 pm

    [...] Absolutely Bangkok has coverage of the press conference, as does Deutsche Presse-Agentur, and The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. Daily Xpress has a followup to its earlier story, but it hasn’t been put online. Here’s some a quote from Absolutely Bangkok: [...]

  5. jromerz on September 28th, 2008 11.07 am

    Yes, but let us continue showing the violent, sexist, twisted Thai soap operas … They definitely support and reflect the truth of this country …

    Foreigners having sex with minors on the other hand? - “IT NEVER HAPPENED!”

  6. Oneditorial on September 29th, 2008 8.09 pm

    “Raising the question - yes, it’s related to the topic: Ever wondered how many psychiatrists you’ll find in Thailand.”

    What has this got to do with psychiatrists? It is just different, that’s all. I think in Thailand, many people would rather deal with their mental problems or stress by themselves, instead of paying some shrink to talk to them. If people have a problem, they talk to their friends and family so as to release their day-to-day mental pressure. It’s obviously different with some societies where people champion privacy and consequently may have no one to talk to but rather have to rely on strangers, like psychiatrists.

  7. number&number on September 29th, 2008 11.03 pm

    How many psychiatrists does one need, Oneditorial, when a repressed society conforms and rarely breaks out of the mold dictated by family, teacher and patriarch? I’m guessing that when people stop agreeing, start questioning authority, stop conforming and abiding by unwritten laws, will they have much “understanding” family to “vent” with?

  8. Oneditorial on September 30th, 2008 10.07 pm

    How do you know that people can not break out of the mould? This is just your generalisation, isn’t it?. Your family and friends who have a way of life which is totally different from yours are not going to be able to help you with every issue. But simply talking helps you to find the way to sort your problem out. And even if it doesn’t, it is still better to release whatever is troubling your mind. Personally I will never see a psychiatrist, who is a total stranger, to help me with my problem, because it is MY problem. Only I can deal with it. Psychiatrists are appropriate for dealing with either mental illness, weak-minded people, or even worse, losers.

  9. number&number on October 1st, 2008 1.20 am

    Of course the local youth will slowly break out of the mold (and mould) eventually when they can appreciate the value of individual and critical thinking, just the kind of questioning that may distance (read “alone”) them from those who are afraid to go against the grain.

    No one is asking you to see the monk, fortune teller, ajarn or god forbid, a shrink. In the West much has been written and studied in the fields of mental health, rather than it being a subject to be avoided, and that is where the monk and witch doctor’s role acted locally. Not sure what’s wrong with losers?

    We’re all losers eventually. It is said that the truly insane people are those who vehemently proclaim they are sane!

  10. chang dek on October 1st, 2008 5.18 am

    Phallusses for sale to tourists but not for women’s consumption:

    Interesting that there are more prejudices that start to look silly when the the “thinking” gets displayed. Sexual aids like dildos are illegal in Thailand, presumably because of their depraved western provenance, but the sacred Thai versions are now being heralded as cultural paradigms …

    http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/10/01/national/national_30084805.php

    BD, not sure where to post this subject, hence, in the avoidance of sexual content …

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