In an article for The Nation newspaper’s Weekend magazine on her directorial debut, independent filmmaker Ing Kanjanavanit (Ing K) wrote: “A film is not really a film until it’s seen”.
That was 25 years ago and Ing K was referring to her debut oeuvre, “Dog God”, then titled “My Teacher Eats Biscuits” (“Kon Garb Mha”) screening at the Hawaii International Film Festival.
“My Teacher Eats Biscuits” had its world premiere on November 11, 1997 and the director subsequently held a private screening at the Goethe Institut. The plan was for the film to have its Thai premiere at the Bangkok International Film Festival in 1998, but it was banned before it could be shown to the general public on charges of insulting religion.
The independent film finally passed the censors on October 24, 2023, with a rating of 15+. Now renamed “Dog God”, the film is a Director’s Cut of “My Teacher Eats Biscuits”.
Manit Sriwanichpoom, the film’s cinematographer and veteran artist, expressed his delight on Facebook and broke the news of the green light for the screening in Thailand. However, the premiere date has not been decided.
“The film, which the director and the team (I was the director of photography and cameraman) intended to be a crazy, fun and humorous movie, ended up being perceived by the censorship board, which was then controlled by police department, as not funny and as insulting Buddhism and other religions,” Manit explained on his Facebook account.
He added that it has been 25 years since the film was made in 16mm format. It has now been converted into digital format, edited by the director to be 10 minutes shorter, reducing its original 2-hour length to just 110 minutes.
The low-budget independent film stars Fiona Tarini Graham and Krissada “Noi” Sukhosol Clapp, both friends of the director. “Dog God” is a story about a New Age ashram which worships a Dog God. It is a satire of beliefs portraying and challenging many norms in religious beliefs.
The film “My Teacher Eats Biscuits” was intended to be a hilarious, crazy, and fun movie. It was shot with great enthusiasm on a shoestring budget, and the director was passionate about it. She spent her own money on the film. They used locations within their family, relatives’ homes, and those of friends. However, the film did not have a chance to be viewed by the public as the authorities did not find it amusing and deemed it insulting to religion.
Manit submitted the censorship application on October 9, and he received a green light from the censors on October 24. Manit originally requested a 13+ rating, but the film was given a 15+ rating. An officer said that the reason is because it touches upon religion.
“Ironically, one middle-aged male officer chatted with me through Messenger, “Why was it banned?” What a surprise to hear that question from a government officer! I replied, “Was it considered blasphemy?” The officer continued, “It must be a matter of the times. Some people from one generation see it as dangerous, while the younger generation sees it differently,” Manit wrote on his Facebook.
“Meanwhile our Macbeth horror movie ‘Shakespeare Must Die’ remains banned by the Thai government as it is perceived as a national security threat. The case we filed to overturn the ban continues to drag on in the Supreme Administrative Court. We have been waiting almost 12 years for Shakespeare Must Die to be free. Hopefully it will not take another quarter century!” Manit wrote.
Before “Kon Garb Mah” was banned, Ing K had high hopes that the film’s success would inspire other filmmakers to have a go at creating their own works.
Old poster of the film
“If we succeed, more people in Thailand will have the nerve to challenge the system. More films will be made that are truly Thai in spirit – films made with anarchy, humour and joy – not copies of Hollywood and Hong Kong or imitations of European art films.
“I want, I need Thai people to know it’s possible to make a full-length feature film with less money than it takes to buy a Mercedes Benz. That a film can cost a fraction of foreign film-school fees.”
With “Dog God” now freed from its shackles, the public premiere – even after a quarter-century delay – will make “the film a real film” just as Ing K wrote all those years ago.
The release date for the theatre screening should be announced soon, so stay tuned.
By Veena Thoopkrajae
