The New York Asian Film Festival starts on Friday, June 19, running until July 5, and as part of the festival, I had an enthusiastic response to the giveaway of three pairs of tickets to the controversial drama Children of the Dark.
The tickets are all gone. Congratulations to Brian, FunnyAV and Alexandria for being the first three to e-mail me.
The only Thai-related film in the festival lineup this year, Children of the Dark is playing at 1.25pm on Wednesday, June 24 and at 9.40pm on Monday, June 29 at IFC Center, 323 Sixth Avenue.
Directed by Junji Sakamoto and filmed primarily in Bangkok, Children of the Dark is a grimly gripping, unflinching tale about exploitation of children for sex tourism and the black-market organ trade. This is the film that was pulled from last year's Bangkok International Film Festival after officials deemed it "inappropriate".
Having recently watched a screener DVD of it, courtesy of the NYAFF, I can see why the festival's top officials thought that way. It's a highly dramatized indictment of corruption in Thai society.
Once you start watching, you can't turn away. I hope to post a review soon.
I know Sakamoto might be considered something of a jobbing director, of sorts, in that his films vary quite a lot, but, if you develop a taste for him, i'd point to his other 2008 film "Chameleon" being released in HK on DVD with Eng Subs early in July. See DDDHouse.
ReplyDeleteAlso : the american DVD of 'Face' (make sure you get the right one), because that film's just superb.
It's my first Sakamoto film. I enjoyed it. Still drafting an actual review that I hope to put up before the weekend.
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