INJUSTICE

--Brian Darr left a comment in my blog in this link:
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2007/04/syndromes-and-century-fear-of-reality.html

This is celinejulie’s answer to him:

Thank you very much for your comment, Brian.

I don’t have much to say about the censorship and SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY now. I have to admit that I feel exhausted in this fight. It kind of drains my soul. The more I think about what happens in Thailand right now, the more I feel bad. Now I really understand what INJUSTICE feels like. But seeing the names in the petition grow longer and longer encourages me to think that there’s still hope in this world.


--Thank you very much Mubarak Ali and Brian Darr for helping promoting our petition to free Thai cinema.

http://supposedaura.blogspot.com/2007/04/free-thai-cinema.html

http://www.cinemarati.org/index.php/archives/syndromes-and-a-censor/


--MATTHEW HUNT also talked about Syndromes and the petition in his blog:
http://www.matthewhunt.com/blog/2007/04/syndromes-century-petition.html


--A.O. SCOTT in the New York Times also mentioned about SYNDROMES and the censorship:
http://movies2.nytimes.com/2007/04/18/movies/18cent.html?ref=movies

(This makes the recent demand for cuts by Thai censors seem especially odd, since, at least to an outsider, there seems to be nothing politically or sexually provocative in the film. In any case, Mr. Weerasethakul has refused to make the changes and has issued a statement condemning the censorship.)

I learned about the New York Times article from http://thaiindie.com


--SOME GOOD ARTICLES ABOUT SYNDROMES AND THE CENTURY

1.from EVERYTHING ELSE IS RIM LIGHT’S BLOG
http://everythingelseisrimlight.blogspot.com/2007/04/syndromes-and-century-by-apichatpong.html

2.from J. Hoberman in the Village Voice
http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0716,hoberman,76373,20.html


--The article below is a piece of old news from THE NATION newspaper:


Plea for an end to state censorship of cinema

Monday, April 16, 2007


Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com

The censorship of controversial scenes in Apichatpong Weerasethakul's award-winning film "Sang Sattawat" (Syndromes and a Century) has led to a call to liberate Thai films from state intervention.

The Thai Film Foundation and Thai Film Directors' Association yesterday launched an online petition demanding that the National Legislative Assembly state in the new constitution that movies are a form of mass media.

"We are petitioning not only for a just decision for 'Sang Sattawat' but also for a long-needed modernisation of legislation concerning movie censorship," the petition read.

"We demand that the authority revise legislation to stop the practice of cutting and banning films, and instead implement a rating system of the kind used in free countries. This is the only way that Thai cinema and all cinema shown in Thailand can be freed from the shackles of outdated legal vandalism."

The move came after the Censorship Board had informed Apichatpong that it would permit the release of his film on condition that four cuts were made.

The scenes involve the portrayal of monks and doctors in inappropriate ways, according to censors. Two feature a monk playing a guitar and a monk playing a game. The Culture Ministry objected to the scenes.

"We didn't ban the film, but if they want to release it, they have to cut these scenes," said Asst Professor Chawana Phawakanan, who represents the Federation of National Film Association of Thailand on the board.

But Apichatpong decided to cancel commercial release of the film in Thailand and insisted the cuts would not be made.

The director, who is now in the United States, said in a statement circulating via e-mail: "I, a filmmaker, treat my works as my own sons or my daughters. When I conceived them, they have their own lives to live.

"I don't mind if people are fond of them or despise them, as long as I created them with my best intentions and efforts. If these offspring of mine cannot live in their own country for whatever reasons, let them be free.

"Since there are other places that warmly welcome them as who they are, there is no reason to mutilate them from the fear of the system, or from greed. Otherwise there is no reason for one to continue making art."

Apichatpong's style has a loose plot and portrays people in everyday life. The award-winning director wanted to devote the film to his parents, who are both doctors.

The film featured at the prestigious Venice International Film Festival last year. Recently it won the Best Asian Film award at France's Deauville Asian Film Festival.

"The board members judge the film with their priority to protect themselves - what happens after that, they are not interested in," said film producer Pantham Thongsung.

Meanwhile, a lawyer representative of the Medical Council of Thailand wants to ban two other scenes in the film. One features a doctor kissing his girlfriend in a hospital with a close-up scene that suggests sexual feeling. The other shows glasses filled with whisky on a table in a doctors' common room.

"The best solution is to put a notice at the beginning of the film to warn that the film has improper scenes that do not exist in real life. Then the problematic scenes would not be cut at all," said Chawana.

However, Chawana said the director dismissed that idea following the censorship of the monk scenes last week.

The censors are under the supervision of the Royal Thai Police. The board comprises representatives from different government sectors, depending on a film's content. Each related office sends staff to consider a film under the Film Act, which has been used since 1930.

The rotation of board members has been criticised for preventing a uniform standard for censorship.

A new Film Act that would update the rating system has been stuck in the system for decades because of political changes.

Among people signing the online petition are Julie Pearce of the British Film Institute, Thomas Bertacche Udine of the Far East Film Festival in Italy and Chinese film-maker Zhang Xian Min.

Parinyaporn Pajee

The Nation