Syndromes and a Century

Infobox Film
name = Syndromes and a Century


caption = The theatrical poster.
director = Apichatpong Weerasethakul
producer = Wouter Barendrecht
Simon Field
Michael J. Werner
Keith Griffiths
Charles de Meaux
Pantham Thongsangl
Apichatpong Weerasethakul
writer = Apichatpong Weerasethakul
narrator = Lee Chatametikool
starring = Nantarat Sawaddikul
Jaruchai Iamaram
Sophon Pukanok
Jenjira Pongpas
music = Kantee Anantagant
cinematography = Sayombhu Mukdeeprom
editing = Lee Chatametikool
distributor = Fortissimo Films Strand Releasing
released = Venice Film Festival (premiere):
August 30, 2006 United States (limited):
April 17, 2007
runtime = 105 min.
country = Thailand
language = Thai
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website = http://www.kickthemachine.com/works/Syndromes.html
amg_id = 1:350172
imdb_id = 0477731

"Syndromes and a Century" ( _th. แสงศตวรรษ or "saeng satawăːt", literally "Light of the Century" [Li Min, Lim. November 2, 2006. [http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/11/02/features/api.php?page=1 "A Thai director's elliptical view of the world"] , "International Herald Tribune".] ) is a 2006 Thai drama film written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The film was among the works commissioned for Peter Sellars' New Crowned Hope festival in Vienna to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. [ [http://www.newcrownedhope.org/index.php?id=eventdetail&L=2# New Crowned Hope detail page] .] It premiered on August 30, 2006 at the 63rd Venice Film Festival.

The film is a tribute to the director's parents and is divided into two parts, with the characters and dialogue in the second half essentially the same as the first, but the settings and outcome of the stories are different. The first part is set in a hospital in rural Thailand, while the second half is set in a Bangkok medical center. "The film is about transformation, about how people transform themselves for the better," Apichatpong said in an interview. [Associated Press. August 31, 2006 [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/08/31/europe/EU_A-E_MOV_Italy_Venice_Thai_Premiere.php First Thai film to compete for Golden Lion premieres at Venice Film Festival] , via "International Herald Tribune" (retrieved September 4, 2006).]

In Thailand, "Syndromes and a Century" became controversial after the Board of Censors demanded that four scenes be cut in order for the film to be shown commercially. The director refused to cut the film and withdrew it from domestic release.Rithdee, Kong. [http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2007/04/syndromes-and-century-is-censored-in.html Thai director cancels film's local release] , "Bangkok Post", retrieved 2007-04-12] Since then, the director had agreed to a limited showing in Thailand where the cut scenes were replaced with a black screen to protest and inform the public about the issues of censorship.

Cast

* Nantarat Sawaddikul as Dr. Toey
* Jaruchai Iamaram as Dr. Nohng
* Nu Nimsomboon as Toa
* Sophon Pukanok as Noom, the orchid expert
* Jenjira Pongpas as Pa Jane
* Arkanae Cherkam as Dentist Ple
* Sakda Kaewbuadee as Monk Sakda
* Sin Kaewpakpin as Old Monk

Production

Origins

The work is described as a comedy to start out, but ends as a science-fiction story.

"It's a film about heart," the director told the "Bangkok Post". "It's not necessarily about love, it's more about memory. It's about feelings that have been forever etched in the heart." [Rithdee, Kong (July 28, 2006). [http://www.bangkokpost.com/Realtime/28Jul2006_real001.php Everything is illuminated] , "Bangkok Post" (retrieved July 28, 2006).]

It was originally entitled "Intimacy and Turbulence" and was to be an autobiographical look at his mother and father, who were both physicians working in a hospital in Khon Kaen, Thailand. But the director revised that concept when he cast the actors and began filming. The story still focuses on a male and female doctor, and is dedicated to the director's parents, but is set in two hospitals 40 years apart and explores both the memories and current lives of the protagonists.

"I began with my parents’ story, but it has sprung to other things," Apitchatpong said in an interview. "When I met the actors, when I found the location, there were other stories combined and added in. I try not to limit it. I allow it to flow whichever way it goes. It is very exciting." [Pansittivorakul, Thunska. April 29, 2006. [http://www.criticine.com/interview_article.php?id=24 Conversation with Apichatpong Weerasethakul] , Criticine.com. Retrieved 2006-07-28.]

Reception

Critical reception

The film has a 87% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 38 reviews. [ [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/syndromes_and_a_century/ Syndromes and a Century] , Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved 2008-01-20] Metacritic gives it a score of 71 out of 100, based on seven reviews. [ [http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/syndromesandacentury Syndromes and a Century] , Metacritic; retrieved 2007-01-20]

"Screen Daily" noted the enigmatic, non-existent narrative while praising the film's technical aspects. [ThaiCinema.org. September 2, 2006. [http://www.thaicinema.org/reviews_26syndrome.asp "Syndromes and a Century"] (retrieved 2006-09-04).]

Top ten lists

The British Film Institute's "Sight & Sound" year-end poll for 2007 had "Syndromes and a Century" tied for seventh best with four other films. [ [http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/pdf/films-of-the-year-2007.pdf Films of the year 2007] , "Sight & Sound"; retrieved 2008-01-20] The film was ranked ninth overall on the International Cinephile Society's 2007 list of best films. "Syndromes" also appeared on several critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2007. [cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/awards/2007/toptens.shtml |title=Metacritic: 2007 Film Critic Top Ten Lists |accessdate=2008-01-05 |publisher=Metacritic]

*1st - David Ansen, "Newsweek"
*3rd - Nathan Lee, "The Village Voice"
*5th - Wesley Morris, "The Boston Globe"
*10th - Scott Tobias, "The A.V. Club"

Thai reception and censorship

:"See also: Censorship in Thailand and Motion picture rating system in Thailand"A limited theatrical release in Bangkok was originally slated for April 19, 2007, but was indefinitely delayed after the Board of Censors demanded the removal of four scenes. Apichatpong refused to cut the film and withdrew it from domestic circulation.

He explained his reasons for doing so in an article in the "Bangkok Post":

Two of the "sensitive" scenes involve doctors engaging in "inappropriate" conduct (kissing and drinking liquor) in a hospital; the others depict a Buddhist monk playing a guitar and two monks playing with a remote-control flying saucer. The censors refused to return the print unless the requested cuts were made. [Weerasethakul, Apichatpong. September 14, 2007. [http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/featurepages/0,,2168589,00.html Who can save my flying saucer?] , "The Guardian" (retrieved on September 15, 2007).]

Later in 2007, the film was shown twice in privately arranged screenings at the Alliance française in Bangkok.

The censorship of the film came about as a motion picture rating system was being considered by the junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly. A replacement for the 1930 film act, the ratings law contained a restrictive ratings structure and retained the government's powers to censor and ban films it deemed would "undermine or disrupt social order and moral decency, or that might impact national security or the pride of the nation".Rithdee, Kong. December 20, 2007. [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117978081.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 Thailand passes controversial film act] , "Variety (magazine)"; retrieved 2008-01-23]

To oppose the draft law, Apichatpong and other directors formed the Free Thai Cinema Movement.

"We disagree with the right of the state to ban films," Apichatpong was quoted as saying. "There already are other laws that cover potential wrongdoings by filmmakers."Rithdee, Kong. November 28, 2007. [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117976675.html?categoryid=19&cs=1 Directors protest censorship law] , "Variety (magazine)"; retrieved 2008-01-23]

Ladda Tangsupachai, director of the Ministry of Culture's Cultural Surveillance Department, said the ratings law was needed because moviegoers in Thailand are "uneducated". "They're not intellectuals, that's why we need ratings," she was quoted as saying.Montlake, Simon. October 11, 2007. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1670261,00.html Will Thai reforms make censorship worse?] , "Time (magazine)"; retrieved 2008-01-23]

Despite the protest, the law was passed on December 20, 2007.

The film was released for a limited run in April, 2008 at the Paragon Cineplex in Bangkok, Thailand in its censored form. In protest of the censoring, the director inserted black, scratched film trailer in place of each of the censored scenes, the same length as the scenes that were cut. The result is that the audience experiences no sound and no picture for the same time and in the same spots in the film as the censored scenes.

Festivals and awards

"Syndromes and a Century" had its world premiere at the 2006 Venice Film Festival, where it was in competition. It was also screened at the New York Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, London International Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, Tokyo Filmex, Pusan International Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, Hong Kong International Film Festival, the Maryland Film Festival, and the Melbourne International Film Festival.

At the inaugural Asian Film Awards in 2007 in Hong Kong, the film won the Best Editor award for Lee Chatametikool. It was also nominated for best director and best cinematographer. [Paquet, Darcy. 2007-03-20. [http://www.variety.com/awardcentral_article/VR1117961479.html?nav=news&categoryid=1985&cs=1 "'Host' wins most at Asian Film Awards"] , "Variety", retrieved 2007-03-31.]

DVD

"Syndromes and a Century" was released on Region 1 DVD on January 15, 2008 by Strand Releasing.

The UK DVD release of "Syndromes and a Century" (Region 2) by the British Film Institute is scheduled for June 30, 2008.

References

External links

* [http://www.kickthemachine.com/works/Syndromes.html Official site]
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* [http://www.showbizdata.com/movie/244860/Syndromes-and-a-Century-Sang-Sattawat ShowBIZ Data]