Phnom Penh - A top Cambodian genocide researcher said yesterday that Thai movie-makers are exploiting his country's tragic past with a horror flick set in a fictional prison that resembles the Khmer Rouge regime's main torture centre.
The film Ghost Game, which opens in Thailand today, tells the story of a group of reality television show contestants taken to a prison to confront their inner fears and the atrocities that occurred there.
The detention centre, Security Prison 11, closely resembles the Khmer Rouge's Tuol Sleng prison, or S-21, where about 16,000 men, women and children were tortured before being executed.
"It's a shocking abuse of memory," said researcher Youk Chhang of the Documentation Centre of Cambodia, which has been compiling evidence from Tuol Sleng to use in the planned trial of former regime leaders.
Up to two million people died from starvation, execution or overwork in one of the worst genocides of the 20th century as the communist Khmer Rouge tried to turn Cambodia into a vast collective farm in the late 1970s.
"Not just for Cambodians, but for any victims of genocide, to have their memory twisted in such a way pushes them into a corner," Youk Chhang said.
The producer, Tifa Co, denied the film had anything to do with the Khmer Rouge, but admitted that some audience members might see parallels. The movie was shot entirely in Thailand, with the prison scenes filmed at a jail in a central province where authorities agreed to allow some signs to be changed to the Khmer language.
"The movie is not based on the true story of S-21 and the Khmer Rouge," said general-manager Pimolthip Yeesontes.
"But with the Khmer words that we used, the film unavoidably caused people to think of a Cambodian jail. In particular for those who know some references to Cambodian history, our production might draw an emotional reaction if they imagine a bit too much."
Ms Pimolthip said the company knew from the start that the story tapped into sensitive issues that could lead to controversy.
"We will defend the story. It has nothing to do with real places or persons in Cambodia. The production was developed with cautious concerns to minimise complaints we had expected at some points," she said.
The script was given to Cambodian and Thai authorities for consideration. Cambodian embassy officials in Bangkok and officials in Phnom Penh did not propose any changes, she said. Trailers for the movie are now showing in Thai theatres, ahead of its opening, she said. A premiere is set for Tuesday night.
The film Ghost Game, which opens in Thailand today, tells the story of a group of reality television show contestants taken to a prison to confront their inner fears and the atrocities that occurred there.
The detention centre, Security Prison 11, closely resembles the Khmer Rouge's Tuol Sleng prison, or S-21, where about 16,000 men, women and children were tortured before being executed.
"It's a shocking abuse of memory," said researcher Youk Chhang of the Documentation Centre of Cambodia, which has been compiling evidence from Tuol Sleng to use in the planned trial of former regime leaders.
Up to two million people died from starvation, execution or overwork in one of the worst genocides of the 20th century as the communist Khmer Rouge tried to turn Cambodia into a vast collective farm in the late 1970s.
"Not just for Cambodians, but for any victims of genocide, to have their memory twisted in such a way pushes them into a corner," Youk Chhang said.
The producer, Tifa Co, denied the film had anything to do with the Khmer Rouge, but admitted that some audience members might see parallels. The movie was shot entirely in Thailand, with the prison scenes filmed at a jail in a central province where authorities agreed to allow some signs to be changed to the Khmer language.
"The movie is not based on the true story of S-21 and the Khmer Rouge," said general-manager Pimolthip Yeesontes.
"But with the Khmer words that we used, the film unavoidably caused people to think of a Cambodian jail. In particular for those who know some references to Cambodian history, our production might draw an emotional reaction if they imagine a bit too much."
Ms Pimolthip said the company knew from the start that the story tapped into sensitive issues that could lead to controversy.
"We will defend the story. It has nothing to do with real places or persons in Cambodia. The production was developed with cautious concerns to minimise complaints we had expected at some points," she said.
The script was given to Cambodian and Thai authorities for consideration. Cambodian embassy officials in Bangkok and officials in Phnom Penh did not propose any changes, she said. Trailers for the movie are now showing in Thai theatres, ahead of its opening, she said. A premiere is set for Tuesday night.
1 comment:
Generally, it is nothing wrong with that movie as it is considered as the "art". On the other hand, it was shot in other country, rather than in Cambodia. However, some points needed to be thought throroughly.
The producer and writer, as mentioned in the article, are fully aware of the impacts. They knew about the sensitivity. Why were you so insistant? As buddhist culture that Cambodian the same as Thai believe in, those who passed away in that kind of tragedy are remained respectful.
It obviously shows the the producer and script-writer lack "full disrespects" to Khmer victims in the Khmer Rouge prison of Toul Sleng. On the other hand, it could be a provocation to serve their purposes.
It is more than happy if that film were not shown publicly.
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