Cannes-Winning Thai Seeks Freedom, Not Stardom At Home

[webfact]

Cannes-winning Thai seeks freedom, not stardom at home - Interview

by Rachel O'Brien

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Apichatpong Weerasethakul may have boosted Thai national pride with his surprise win at Cannes, but the avant-garde director says he has no illusions his surreal film will be a hit back home.

Despite clinching the top Palme d'Or prize last month as violence erupted in Bangkok, he's reluctant to screen the reincarnation tale "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives" for the action and comedy-loving Thai audience.

"I know my market... I know that my film is not for everyone," the 39-year-old said in an interview in the capital, one of the few Thai cities where he plans a limited release of the film.

"Ideally I would like to screen it just for the people who really follow the film, follow my career."

Back in 2007, a top official at the ministry of culture was more blunt. "Nobody goes to see films by Apichatpong," Ladda Tangsupachai told Time magazine. "Thai people want to see comedy. We like a laugh."

Defending a controversial draft film law that passed later that year -- despite opposition from filmmakers including Apichatpong for its wide-ranging censorship powers -- she said Thai film fans were "not intellectuals".

The softly-spoken director recalls being upset by Ladda's "very strong" comments about his work, coming as they did from a public figure: "I don't think she has a right to say that."

The snub failed to turn Apichatpong to commercial flicks; instead he stuck to unusual offerings such as "Uncle Boonmee", which at one point shows a disfigured princess having sex with a talking catfish.

It's an approach that has paid off in the global arthouse circuit, but he still has censorship battles to fight with the Thai authorities, slamming their restrictions for muzzling the country's movie-makers.

Apichatpong came up against decades-old film laws in 2007 and said he felt "ashamed to be a Thai citizen" after the blocking of seemingly harmless scenes in his "Syndromes and a Century", such as Buddhist monks flying a toy UFO.

He believes the new film law since passed -- under which censors can ban films deemed to threaten the social order, moral decency or national security -- is dangerously broad.

"You cannot make a film about politics, religion and other issues, so basically you have to fall back to comedy and drama," he said.

"Fear is the key word," he added, likening Thailand's current situation to Eastern Europe in the 1960s and 70s, when filmmakers resorted to "a symbolic kind of movie" rather than an overtly political one.

This seems true of his two-hour tale about "Uncle Boonmee".

While the plot takes the dying man on a trek through the jungle with his dead wife and his son in monkey form, Apichatpong said it is a parable on a dying kind of cinema from his youth, and he links this closely to censorship.

"People try to -- especially from the government -- they try to tell you what is the right thing to wear, the right thing to do or what is the proper national language and stuff like that," he explained.

Set in the Thai northeast where Apichatpong grew up, the film is also a tribute to the rural region, which has its own distinct culture and dialect.

The area is the stronghold of the anti-government protesters who sparked Bangkok's recent unrest, which ended with a deadly military crackdown and major buildings ablaze just as Apichatpong left the city to collect his prize.

Speaking at Cannes, he described Thailand, where 90 people died in the recent political violence, as "controlled by a group of mafia" and "a violent country" -- comments that sparked a rush of online criticism from fellow Thais.

"But hey, look outside... it's a third world country that is still violent and people still suffer -- a lot of people," he said back in Bangkok.

Based on his childhood and experience in the protesters' heartland, he pointed the finger at central government control for fuelling their grievances, although he denied taking a political side.

"All the power is in Bangkok. So I think that's why there's resentment."

Despite these frustrations and freedom of expression fears, Apichatpong is still inspired by his home: he's now producing a four-hour epic about train rides across Thailand -- a film that "may be political", he said with a smile.

"Living in Thailand is like you're always on the edge with all this sometimes beautiful news, sometimes stupid news, stupid people or beautiful people. It's all this mixture of differences that drives me."

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-06-18

[jonclark]

"Living in Thailand is like you're always on the edge with all this sometimes beautiful news, sometimes stupid news, stupid people or beautiful people. It's all this mixture of differences that drives me."

Great quote, sums up life here.

I'd actually quite like to see this film, anyone seen it around or on a torrent online??

[cheshiremusicman]

"Living in Thailand is like you're always on the edge with all this sometimes beautiful news, sometimes stupid news, stupid people or beautiful people. It's all this mixture of differences that drives me."

Great quote, sums up life here.

I'd actually quite like to see this film, anyone seen it around or on a torrent online??

Not seen the film as yet, but sounds as though this guy would make a very good Prime Minister - He's got his head screwed on the right way around "with eyes that see; so long lives this; and this give life to thee" as the great Bard said!

[boggle]

It is not often I hear this. An internationally known and award winning Thai, who is obviously an intelect and has traveled, seen other parts of the world, who is able and does voice his feelings eloquently. Good luck to you Apichatpong. All is not lost.

[thaihome]

Actually he is a spoiled rich kid that resents the fact the regular people don't like his movies and they are never commercial successes.

He believes in freedom of speech, except when it's against his movies:

The softly-spoken director recalls being upset by Ladda's "very strong" comments about his work, coming as they did from a public figure: "I don't think she has a right to say that."

TH

Edited June 18, 2010 by thaihome

[Jingthing]

It is a fact that his films have a very limited commercial potential in Thailand, or anywhere actually. Still, they deserve some screenings.

[eggomaniac]

Does anybody know if this movie was based on a true story written by a respected abbot? I can't quite tell if that is the fictional plot, or the plot created from research.

I have heard Thais don't believe in reincarnation.

[OxfordWill]

I wish this man all the luck he can get.

[bangon04]

Isn't it wonderful tht he can inspire national pride in Thailand, just for holding a Thai flag, even though most people wouldn't cross the road to watch his movie even if were free.

It's his own fault - All he has to do is to add a few Katoey, some fart jokes and a midget who likes to be slapped on the head a lot, then he is set to be a national hero.......

[Kilgore Trout]

Actually he is a spoiled rich kid that resents the fact the regular people don't like his movies and they are never commercial successes.

He believes in freedom of speech, except when it's against his movies:

The softly-spoken director recalls being upset by Ladda's "very strong" comments about his work, coming as they did from a public figure: "I don't think she has a right to say that."

TH

You really think she (a public figure) has the right to say that all Thais like only comedies? That's ridiculous, that kind of thinking will only perpetuate stereotypes. Get a grip, man! Thais should be proud that one of their own received such a prestigious award, this kind of thing could really help open the minds of many Thais, but surely not everyone as the film maker rightly pointed out.

[Jingthing]

Give it a rest. This guy's films are dam_n near unwatchable even by art film standards. Maybe this latest one is more accessible, hoping to see it.

I do think the director is right that censorship of content is disgusting. However, even with no censorship, and even if his films were screened all over Thailand, HIS films would STILL be box office death.

Edited June 18, 2010 by Jingthing

[Jimi007]

Give it a rest. This guy's films are dam_n near unwatchable even by art film standards. Maybe this latest one is more accessible, hoping to see it.

I do think the director is right that censorship of content is disgusting. However, even with no censorship, and even if his films were screened all over Thailand, HIS films would STILL be box office death.

You've seen his films? I've never heard of him, until the Cannes award. The subject matter sounds rather boring. But I agree Thai censors are a joke. But so are many other Thai government institutions... TAT comes to mind as well as the BiB...

[asiawatcher]

"Nobody goes to see films by Apichatpong," Ladda Tangsupachai told Time magazine. "Thai people want to see comedy. We like a laugh."

Defending a controversial draft film law that passed later that year -- despite opposition from filmmakers including Apichatpong for its wide-ranging censorship powers -- she said Thai film fans were "not intellectuals".

Yep - Thai's like to sit and watch mind numbing garbage with stupid sound effects, screaming and yelling, death, beatings, rapes, and all the crap they put on TV! That's really funny stuff and then there is the slap stick game shows! An insult to any intelligent human. But there you have it - a Ministry representative who thinks she is the film critique of the century - ignorant bea-tch thinks Thai film fans are not intellectuals! Do tell.... so why did her Govt pass a THB200M hand out and gave 50% to Promitr who has a track record of violent non funny films (Suriyothai, Naresuan et al) and does not need the money as he is of royal descent. He does not make funny anything so why not take it back and spread it amongst the other 91 applicants who may actually be able to shoot some intelligent visually exciting content?

If K. Apichatpong has the ability to twice win at Cannes, thus judged by his industry peers to be a world's best, then those in this forum who think his films are unwatchable should go back to flicking the remote between watching the football and porn! Films can be anything they want to be and as displayed by a combination of writer, cinematographer and director so yes, not always to everyones tastes. C'est la gare!

Edited June 18, 2010 by asiawatcher

[souvenirdeparis]

@Asia watcher

I know his next film will be about trains, but did you really mean

""C'est la GARE "" = that's the railway station ??

or la guerre = war ?

[Jingthing]

Give it a rest. This guy's films are dam_n near unwatchable even by art film standards. Maybe this latest one is more accessible, hoping to see it.

I do think the director is right that censorship of content is disgusting. However, even with no censorship, and even if his films were screened all over Thailand, HIS films would STILL be box office death.

You've seen his films? I've never heard of him, until the Cannes award. The subject matter sounds rather boring. But I agree Thai censors are a joke. But so are many other Thai government institutions... TAT comes to mind as well as the BiB...

Yes I've seen them all except this latest one, they are hard core art film/festival films primarily for effete cinema freaks, like me. I would like to see more substantial Thai films, but this director is not a model for what will EVER work here.

[animatic]

Actually he is a spoiled rich kid that resents the fact the regular people don't like his movies and they are never commercial successes.

He believes in freedom of speech, except when it's against his movies:

The softly-spoken director recalls being upset by Ladda's "very strong" comments about his work, coming as they did from a public figure: "I don't think she has a right to say that."

TH

He only said this because of her 'official position' in the Culture Ministry.

Not because he doesn't expect critique.

But Khunying Ladda is part of the problem about why Thais don't understand harder to grasp films,

her matriarchal attitude of 'protecting the non-intellectual Thais' from tough things and thoughts,

prevents Thais from becoming more thought full about film and interactive cultures in general.

The mind set of the ministry is to 'prevent changes in the culture', by keeping it's media mirroring static,

and this stasis seems to be not much past 1960's morals and mores.

Most cultural entities on most countries try to BRING more culture to the people,

not block it because the people might not understand everything.

God forbid the people are allowed to think freely on most any concept they like, short of active sedition.

If the guy in the culture ministry thinks a 10 your old might be lead astray by seeing a sexy scene,

in ;'a film a 10 year old would NEVER be going into', he will just order a cut and deny the

'average, of age Thais' the right to decide for themselves. Is this proper for the story or gratuitous.

And besides the tea money is much bigger in the commercial films, so why tie up a film crew,

and ministry bosses making something that doesn't properly profit the people who sign off on it...

[animatic]

Give it a rest. This guy's films are dam_n near unwatchable even by art film standards. Maybe this latest one is more accessible, hoping to see it.

I do think the director is right that censorship of content is disgusting. However, even with no censorship, and even if his films were screened all over Thailand, HIS films would STILL be box office death.

You've seen his films? I've never heard of him, until the Cannes award. The subject matter sounds rather boring. But I agree Thai censors are a joke. But so are many other Thai government institutions... TAT comes to mind as well as the BiB...

Yes I've seen them all except this latest one, they are hard core art film/festival films primarily for effete cinema freaks, like me. I would like to see more substantial Thai films, but this director is not a model for what will EVER work here.

Then again why should he be a model for what works, most profitably, here?

François Truffaut, and Juno and Caro made/make great 'little films'

but Luc Besson makes more money.

This doesn't mean T and J&C should not make films for their niche market.

"These are my principles.

If you don't like them, I have other ones.*

* Groucho Marx

Edited June 19, 2010 by animatic

[animatic]

@Asia watcher

I know his next film will be about trains, but did you really mean

""C'est la GARE "" = that's the railway station ??

or la guerre = war ?

LOL

All's fair in love and gare!

[eggomaniac]

Thailand has to decide what it wants to be when it grows up! It has to address its sp/lit personality.

It's one of the most Open/Closed countries on earth.

[SomTumTiger]

Actually he is a spoiled rich kid that resents the fact the regular people don't like his movies and they are never commercial successes.

He believes in freedom of speech, except when it's against his movies:

The softly-spoken director recalls being upset by Ladda's "very strong" comments about his work, coming as they did from a public figure: "I don't think she has a right to say that."

TH

He only said this because of her 'official position' in the Culture Ministry.

Not because he doesn't expect critique.

But Khunying Ladda is part of the problem about why Thais don't understand harder to grasp films,

her matriarchal attitude of 'protecting the non-intellectual Thais' from tough things and thoughts,

prevents Thais from becoming more thought full about film and interactive cultures in general.

The mind set of the ministry is to 'prevent changes in the culture', by keeping it's media mirroring static,

and this stasis seems to be not much past 1960's morals and mores.

Most cultural entities on most countries try to BRING more culture to the people,

not block it because the people might not understand everything.

God forbid the people are allowed to think freely on most any concept they like, short of active sedition.

If the guy in the culture ministry thinks a 10 your old might be lead astray by seeing a sexy scene,

in ;'a film a 10 year old would NEVER be going into', he will just order a cut and deny the

'average, of age Thais' the right to decide for themselves. Is this proper for the story or gratuitous.

And besides the tea money is much bigger in the commercial films, so why tie up a film crew,

and ministry bosses making something that doesn't properly profit the people who sign off on it...

Amen Ani - Thailand needs Culture Promotion, not Culture Protection.

I wrote his in January, in response to a Bkk post article about TV Surveillance being conducted by the Ministry of Culture. They never printed it. I can't imagine why. lol

Real Thai Culture Needs Promotion, not Protection

I read with amusement, and a degree of sadness, the article

"Volunteers keep a close guard on Thai culture", printed in Saturday,

9 January 2010. The description of the "Cultural Surveillance

Department" shows everything that is wrong with the whole idea of

"protecting Thai Culture". Thai Culture doesn't need protection. It

has been a vital and enriching part of Thailand's heritages for

centuries, and certainly doesn't benefit from a group of busybodies

sitting in front of an array of television screens.

Frankly, anyone who thinks you will find a country's "culture" in

found in front of the television or computer, doesn't really

understand what culture is. Culture is in the daily social

internations of people - in the music, artwork, the food, the sights,

sounds, and smells of a dynamic, vibrant country. This doesn't need

protection, it needs promotion. Instead of funding people to decry

the erosion of cultural principals, which, in many cases, infringe on

the right to self expression of others, why not fund tambon cultural

centers, that can service to educate and engage with people on

traditional forms of dance, music, and art? The benefits of such a

program be far greater to Thai people, young and old, then TV policing

parties.

The only news we hear from the nation's cultural "watchdogs" are

usually negative - girls are dressing to provatively, tv shows are too

risque, movies are hurting our nation's youth, etc. Instead of

sounding like "out of touch, old folks", show the young generation the

great aspects of traditional values and philosophies - live those

principals, and promote them. Some of the biggest promoters of

Thailand's culture and youth, are, funnily enough, the cultural arms

of other countries. The Goethe Center from Germany and Alliance

Franciase of France, sponsor youth programs, musical and artistic

forums, cinema festivals, etc. This should be aim and direction of

Thailand's own Cultural Ministry, at home and abroad. Leave the

policing of tv, radio, and the internet, to parents, where it belongs.

[Kilgore Trout]

Actually he is a spoiled rich kid that resents the fact the regular people don't like his movies and they are never commercial successes.

He believes in freedom of speech, except when it's against his movies:

The softly-spoken director recalls being upset by Ladda's "very strong" comments about his work, coming as they did from a public figure: "I don't think she has a right to say that."

TH

He only said this because of her 'official position' in the Culture Ministry.

Not because he doesn't expect critique.

But Khunying Ladda is part of the problem about why Thais don't understand harder to grasp films,

her matriarchal attitude of 'protecting the non-intellectual Thais' from tough things and thoughts,

prevents Thais from becoming more thought full about film and interactive cultures in general.

The mind set of the ministry is to 'prevent changes in the culture', by keeping it's media mirroring static,

and this stasis seems to be not much past 1960's morals and mores.

Most cultural entities on most countries try to BRING more culture to the people,

not block it because the people might not understand everything.

God forbid the people are allowed to think freely on most any concept they like, short of active sedition.

If the guy in the culture ministry thinks a 10 your old might be lead astray by seeing a sexy scene,

in ;'a film a 10 year old would NEVER be going into', he will just order a cut and deny the

'average, of age Thais' the right to decide for themselves. Is this proper for the story or gratuitous.

And besides the tea money is much bigger in the commercial films, so why tie up a film crew,

and ministry bosses making something that doesn't properly profit the people who sign off on it...

Amen Ani - Thailand needs Culture Promotion, not Culture Protection.

I wrote his in January, in response to a Bkk post article about TV Surveillance being conducted by the Ministry of Culture. They never printed it. I can't imagine why. lol

Real Thai Culture Needs Promotion, not Protection

I read with amusement, and a degree of sadness, the article

"Volunteers keep a close guard on Thai culture", printed in Saturday,

9 January 2010. The description of the "Cultural Surveillance

Department" shows everything that is wrong with the whole idea of

"protecting Thai Culture". Thai Culture doesn't need protection. It

has been a vital and enriching part of Thailand's heritages for

centuries, and certainly doesn't benefit from a group of busybodies

sitting in front of an array of television screens.

Frankly, anyone who thinks you will find a country's "culture" in

found in front of the television or computer, doesn't really

understand what culture is. Culture is in the daily social

internations of people - in the music, artwork, the food, the sights,

sounds, and smells of a dynamic, vibrant country. This doesn't need

protection, it needs promotion. Instead of funding people to decry

the erosion of cultural principals, which, in many cases, infringe on

the right to self expression of others, why not fund tambon cultural

centers, that can service to educate and engage with people on

traditional forms of dance, music, and art? The benefits of such a

program be far greater to Thai people, young and old, then TV policing

parties.

The only news we hear from the nation's cultural "watchdogs" are

usually negative - girls are dressing to provatively, tv shows are too

risque, movies are hurting our nation's youth, etc. Instead of

sounding like "out of touch, old folks", show the young generation the

great aspects of traditional values and philosophies - live those

principals, and promote them. Some of the biggest promoters of

Thailand's culture and youth, are, funnily enough, the cultural arms

of other countries. The Goethe Center from Germany and Alliance

Franciase of France, sponsor youth programs, musical and artistic

forums, cinema festivals, etc. This should be aim and direction of

Thailand's own Cultural Ministry, at home and abroad. Leave the

policing of tv, radio, and the internet, to parents, where it belongs.

Well said; do you think the majority of Thais will ever pay heed to this notion? I truly hope so.

[mca]

Can't post a link but google " ministry of culture thailand sued " and click the 2nd link.

Also http://www.facebook.com/SickMoC

I've pretty much acclimatised to the Thai way over the years but one of the few niggles which will never leave me is the multitude of people who demand respect and are the least deserving of it.

Backed up by the large numbers who are willing to kiss their arse because of their "status"

Edited June 19, 2010 by mca

[eggomaniac]

Censorship of the arts & restriction of the press combined with pervasive drunk driving & wild bars; the place shoiuld be called Burm/sterdam.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From the 30's to the 50's being Siamese was practically outlawed.

Take a look at this Bulletin from the era.>

Thai poster from the Marshal Plaek era, noting prohibited "uncivilised" dress on the left and proper Western dress on the right.

Plaek Pibulsonggram - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Aimed to uplift the national spirit and moral code of the nation and instilling progressive tendencies and a newness into Thai life", a series of Cultural Mandates were issued by the government. These mandates encouraged that all Thais were to salute the flag in public places, know the new national anthem (written by Wichitwathakarn), [[[The tune of which is German folk song.]]]and use the Thai language, not regional dialects. People were encouraged to adopt western attire, as opposed to the traditional dress of Thai men and women. Similarly, people were encouraged to eat with a fork and spoon, rather than their traditional hands. In Pibulsonggram's perspective, these policies were necessary for Thailand to change the minds of foreigners that Thailand was an undeveloped and barbaric country. In the interest in progressivism, Thailand needed to be recognised by foreigners as a civilized and modernized country.

In 1939, Pibulsonggram changed the country's name from Siam to Thailand.

------------

It's ironically humouress when people decry farangs for underdressing, they are more closely attired to traditional Siamese fashion.

The nubile, topless, farang girls on some beaches are depicting Thai heritage. I say; let's bring back tradition!!! :jap:

[sabaijai]

I've seen it, and liked it. The script is fiction but there isn't really a narrative in the usual novel/film/stage sense. It's avant garde, so if you don't appreciate avant garde cinema a la early David Lynch, you might not like it. On the other hand, I went to seen the film with a friend who usually hates avant garde, and he enjoyed it.

It's showing every night at SFX Emporium, and the seats have sold out every night since 25 June. I bought my ticket three hours in advance on a Thurs night, and got one of the last three seats. The audience, who were mostly Thai, seemed to enjoy it. Lots of laughs in the film, actually.

A record four of the director's films are listed in Film Comment's top films of the decade - two of them in the top 10.

Good parody of the ministry vs Joei:

http://notthenation.com/pages/news/getnews.php?id=923

[jayboy]

Actually he is a spoiled rich kid that resents the fact the regular people don't like his movies and they are never commercial successes.

He believes in freedom of speech, except when it's against his movies:

The softly-spoken director recalls being upset by Ladda's "very strong" comments about his work, coming as they did from a public figure: "I don't think she has a right to say that."

TH

Strange that one of Thailand's few internationally recognised artists attracts ignorant and philistine abuse like this.Perhaps not so strange since it's clear that many resent his criticism of the elite, made in a very public way as well.The comment by the Ministry of Culture official was pathetic but all too typical of a certain mindset