Wholphin

Today a nice guy named Ben wrote asking if we’d been able to track down any of Saad Khalifa’s comedy news show about the occupation of Iraq, as told in flashback, from the year 2017. We unfortunately haven’t, but are trying. He also sent us this link to Zaky:
http://www.pregnancystore.com/zaky.htm

He said it was a short film waiting to happen. We cried for most of the day, for obvious reasons, but then agreed we should put it out there to see if, after this whole heated giraffe competition dies down a little, anyone might want to make a short film involving a Zaky. I half-hope half-dread the possibility of seeing a documentary on the geniuses who invented it.

While I am aware that any increase in the tension regarding our Giraffe Drawing Contest could prove fatal, my journalistic integrity leads me to take the risk. Today, I received a letter from Jason Polan, mad inventor of the original giraffe method (OGiM):

Dear Wholphin,

Immediately after seeing Emily Doe’s post on your website on April 10, 2007, I went into a deep panic. Her giraffe drawing is so good. How could anyone compete with that? I am getting nervous just thinking about it. She even got the hump on the back right!! She didn’t learn that in any “how to” video I know of. How could I be surpassed so quickly by someone who watched the film only once!?! What have I done? What can I do? Where can I go from here? Should I quit art?

After seeing that post, I drew nearly 8200 giraffes and slept a total of about 12 hours over the following week, trying to attain whatever she had.

Then I gave up.

Then I drew one more giraffe.

It is my submission for this competition.

Jason

Yow. Who can compete with that? Well, you can find out who the current contenders are here.

Apichatpong Weerasethakul –also known as Joe – is Thailand’s leading experimental filmmaker. Which leads you to say, “how many experimental filmmakers are in Thailand?� Maybe a better description would be - Apichatpong Weerasethakul is one of Earth’s most interesting filmmakers. Since his first experimental feature, MYSTERIOUS OBJECT AT NOON (2000), through his Cannes award winning films BLISSFULLY YOURS (2002) and TROPICAL MALADY (2004), the musical comedy THE ADVENTURES OF IRON PUSSY (2003) and the new SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY (2006), Weerasethakul has established a beautifully composed, flowing style. Each film tells a story by taking its time, wandering then jumping in time and place, somehow without losing the characters or the audience, perhaps due to his stunning imagery and realistic actors. SYNDROMES will be released in America soon and Weerasethakul will have an art installation at REDCAT in Los Angeles, opening April 18, entitled “Unknown Forces.�

Faith, production still, 2006, two channel video
Courtesy of the artist

Each of your films has a distinct atmosphere. They feel very realistic, flowing naturally. But of course they are controlled, things happen in a “movie� way. SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY, for example, is heavily edited, jumps in time. How much of a film’s atmosphere do you, or can you, control?

My working process is more going with the flow. I always have to work with the same crew and same editor. I think this is very important because filmmaking depends on many factors. So it is basically about controlling the flow. It seems that they are “controlled memories� - I am trying to present certain feelings – of the personal experiences, coupled with the filmmaking experience with the cast and crew. It evokes a diary portrait of life as I live.

The idea of film-becomes-diary-is-my-life is endearing. Has there been a film you have tried to end a different way but it changed itself?

Always, usually we have different endings - more open ended. When planning the film, the story is more complete. But most of the time we found that the films will speak more to the audiences if there is a room to explore.

Is it melancholy that interests you, or does it just exist everywhere?

That feelings that is “hard to explain� is what I tried to achieve. Our brain always records, accumulates and arranges history, like cinema. We are melancholy animals.

Did you grow up in a rural area, as in some of your films? The forests are great, a far away land but comforting for the characters.

I grew up in a small city, but not as rural as I depicted in, say, TROPICAL MALADY. Since I have been living in Bangkok for quite a while, I constantly wish I could live in such rural environment.

Do you feel the film is successful to sink into your films, to feel like they are there? Or is it important to remain a film?

I prefer to remind the viewers that film is a film, an illusion, like life.

Has the Thai film community changed since you have started?

Stylistically yes. Initially there are more advertising directors coming into this field (Pen-ek, Wisit, Nonzee) - this group changed the look and the way we make film - more organized. They brought in some advertising gimmicks that are quite interesting. Then there are newer breeds of filmmakers that directly graduated from film schools, or made indie videos by themselves. These kids (Kongdech, Madiew, Thunska, etc.) make films that talk about themselves and have less lofty agenda and even less stylized. I think they are leading the future. At the same time, there continues same old filmmaking tradition that churns out ghost, transvestite comedies. These films are quite racist and sexist by foreign standards, but they have been accepted broadly in Thailand. They are quite interesting, but can get tired after you’ve seen too many remakes. Then there are those Korean-inspired movies that are not on par with the originals. But these films are here to
stay.

Are Thai audiences receptive to your art? The long takes you use are visually stunning, viewers get caught up in the characters then. But is that more mainstream there or do you often play “art houses� like in America?

Not only the audiences, but the theaters as well. The other day I went to a test screening of SYNDROMES at one of the cineplexes. I felt very strange because the place totally overwhelmed the film. Thai cineplexes are decorated heavily and everything reads “glitzy entertainment�. Even if I am there I wouldn’t buy a ticket to see my own films. We don’t have intimate, medium size art house kind of space. So now we are trying to put “art house� films into these theaters. I hope gradually people would feel less strange and get used to that. It is just a matter of adapting. Later in the year they will open a digital theater to screen student or independent videoworks in the cineplexes. So I believe that things will change for the best for non-mainstream films.

In SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY the modern, technological world clashes with an emotional world of people making connections. How do these worlds contrast for you?

I think in Asia, in Thailand, we accept everything of the changes and adapt to them. It fascinates me that people are talking about freedom while being so submissive while the landscape is changing quickly – heading without proper maps. So this should create chaos, conflicts, but people remain calm. It surprised me about surviving in Thailand. It inspires me to live and work there. Recently I just heard that Syndromes will be censored or banned. At first I was angry and surprised, because there are all these crazy Thai films out there in the theaters talking about sex, violence with crude languages, etc, without being censored, without rating system. Why me? Then I realized it was not about the film. It was about the system. I am releasing it without a connection to a studio. So the whole country still operates in an ultra conservative mode – with fears of the unfamiliar, mixed with the capitalist attitude of corruption in the governmental system. It coexists well. So I am fine if my film cannot screen there in the end. And this pushes me to create another film about this environment. It helps me somewhat.

What is your new installation at REDCAT about?

Actually, about surviving in Thailand. For me, the key is to be ignorant and powerlessness, voiceless. And the installation is a celebration of this idea.

Upon having his new film banned in his homeland, Apichatpong sent out this email request:

Dear All,

Regarding the censorship of my film. I am glad in a way that it is leading
to a very important step for our cinema.
Please kindly forward to the ones you think have relevant interest in this
issue. Thank you very much.

http://www.petitiononline.com/nocut/petition.html

—————

Free Thai Cinema Movement Petition
Statement by Apichatpong Weerasethakul
*with Bioscope, the Thai Film Foundation, Thai Film Director’s
Association, and Alliances.*

I am saddened by what has happened to my film. However, this is not the
venue to try to make SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY shown in Thai theaters. It
is not my intention to use this opportunity to promote my work.
But, it is time to seriously think about what is going on with our
censorship laws, so that the next generation of filmmakers will not face
the same problems as us, and so that the Thai audiences can truly
achieve a freedom of choice.

It is time we discuss whether all films, before being released, should
be seen by the Buddhist council, doctors council, teachers council,
labor council, the army, pet lovers group, taxi union, representatives
from other foreign countries etc? Or, is it easier to turn our nation
into a Fascist state so that we can live in harmony and don’t have to
waste time talking about democracy?

The system of the Thai Board of Censors needs to be evaluated. Their
members’ relevancy and efficiency needs to be questioned, and we should
decide whether the laws should be changed.

I would like to ask you to reflect on the censorship practices in our
country and to provide us with advice at

http://www.petitiononline.com/nocut/petition.html

Later on, this Petition will be submitted to the Thai government. Your
support will be a great contribution to our fight for one of our most
basic rights - that of freedom.

I am grateful for your time and your participation. Thank you very much.

Warmest Regards,

Apichatpong Weerasethakul

I watched Jason Polan’s instructional video and then I drew a giraffe. My giraffe has a tail. It also has block-patterned skin covering its entire body. It took me six minutes, and I wish I’d had some colored pencils. But basically, I’ve drawn the best giraffe a person could ever hope to draw.

Anyone who cares to challenge me, has until May 12th to send in a better drawing of a giraffe. The best giraffe will be posted online and will win a Wholphin t-shirt, a free subscription, and a never-yet-seen Wholphin film. But really, who are we kidding? You probably shouldn’t even bother.

Email submissions here.