Come and See
Directed byNottapon Boonprakob
Production
company
underDOC Film
Release date
October 2019
Running time
84 minutes
CountryThailand
LanguageThai

Come and See (Thai: เอหิปัสสิโก; RTGS: ehipatsiko) is a Thai documentary film directed by Nottapon Boonprakob and produced by UnderDoc Film. The film focuses on the alleged controversies regarding the teachings and practices of Wat Phra Dhammakaya and chronicles the events of the 23-day lockdown of the temple by the Thai military junta in 2017.[1][2] The film was initially screened at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea in 2019 before being released in Thailand in April 2021 following approval by Thai media censors.[3]

The film's original Thai language name, Ehipassiko, comes from a phrase commonly used in a Pali language Theravada Buddhist chant, meaning literally "come and see", hence the name.[4]

Production

The film was initially produced by Nottapon Boonprakob as his thesis at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.[5] The film focused on the alleged controversies surrounding Wat Phra Dhammakaya's teachings and practices, and highlighted the conflict and lawsuits between Wat Phra Dhammakaya and Thailand's 2014 military junta, which put the temple under intense scrutiny in the Thai media for a period and resulted in a 23-day lockdown and siege of the temple in 2017 by the military junta.[6]

The 84-minute film included extensive interviews with both supporters and critics of Wat Phra Dhammakaya regarding its teachings and practices, and included footage shot in real time during the siege in 2017.[4] The film includes interviews with well known Dhammakaya critics such as Thai Senator Paiboon Nititawan and former monk Mano Laohavanich; as well as Thai Buddhist academics such as Phra Paisal Visalo and Nidhi Eoseewong.[1][2]

Release

Cinema

The film was selected to be screened at the 24th Busan International Film Festival in 2019 but was banned in Thailand by Thai media censors.[7][8] Thai Film Archive screened the film once in 2020.[9] The ban on the film was lifted after two years, with the film premiering in Thai cinemas in April 2021.[3][10] Boonprakob expressed surprise for the film's approval by the Thai Censorship Board.[1] News analysts described the film's approval as a possible attempt by Thailand's military-backed government to moderate its image in the wake of the 2020–2021 Thai Protests.[1]

Home media

The film became available on Thai Netflix in August 2021.[11]

Reception

The film received critical acclaim as a type of long-form journalism that presented a wide range of views and provided a unique investigation into the temple and its alleged controversies that provided insight and perspectives about Wat Phra Dhammakaya that could not be found in mainstream media reports.[2][7]

Accolades

Year Award Category Recipient Result
2022 18th Deep Contrast Awards[12] Best Thai Film Come and See Won
Best Director Nottapon Boonprakob Nominated
30th Entertainment Critics Club Awards[13] Best Film Come and See Won
Best Director Nottapon Boonprakob Nominated
Best Director Come and See Nominated
Best Film Sequence Won
Best Original Music Nominated

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ron, Gluckman (9 June 2021). "Documentary gives Thais rare glimpse into controversial sect". Nikkei Asia. Archived from the original on 2021-06-09. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  2. 1 2 3 Rithdee, Kong (6 April 2021). "Come and see (no need to pray)". Bangkok Post. Archived from the original on 2022-05-06. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  3. 1 2 สุพัฒน์ ศิวะพรพันธ์ (April 1, 2021). "เอหิปัสสิโก สารคดีเหตุการณ์คดียักยอกทรัพย์ของ พระธัมมชโย เตรียมเข้าฉาย 6 เมษายนนี้ ใน 11 โรงภาพยนตร์". The Standard (in Thai). Archived from the original on May 6, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  4. 1 2 Rithdee, Kong (April 6, 2021). "Come and see (no need to pray)". Bangkok Post. Archived from the original on May 6, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  5. ↑ สหธร เพชรวิโรจน์ชัย (July 24, 2019). ""สารคดี = ความจริง เป็นการหลอกตัวเอง" สัมภาษณ์ ณฐพล บุญประกอบ ผู้กำกับภาพยนตร์สารคดี". The People (in Thai). Archived from the original on May 6, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  6. ↑ "เอหิปัสสิโก Come and See". หอภาพยนตร์. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Thailand can finally see acclaimed doc on controversial Buddhist sect". Coconuts Bangkok. 2021-03-29. Archived from the original on 2021-03-29. Retrieved 2021-11-08.
  8. ↑ ""เอหิปัสสิโก" ผ่านกองเซ็นเซอร์ ฉายได้โดยไม่ต้องตัด". ประชาไท. March 10, 2021. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  9. ↑ "หอภาพยนตร์ชวนชม "เอหิปัสสิโก" สารคดีชวนมาดูธรรม (กาย) แบบฉบับ ไก่ ณฐพล". sanook.com. August 11, 2020. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  10. ↑ underDOC Film (April 8, 2021). "[ข่าวดี] เอหิปัสสิโกเข้าฉายเพิ่มอีก 12 โรง ทั้ง กทม และต่างจังหวัด! ใกล้ที่ไหน ไปที่นั่น!". facebook. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  11. ↑ @netflixth (July 4, 2021). "ใครที่กำลังรอดูภาพยนตร์สารคดี 'เอหิปัสสิโก' 1 สิงหาคมนี้ กำลังจะมีให้ดูใน Netflix แล้วครับ กับผลงานที่จะชวนตั้งคำถาม ท้าทายความเชื่อเรื่องศาสนา โดยฝีมือผู้กำกับ 'ณฐพล บุญประกอบ'" (Tweet). Retrieved July 9, 2021 – via Twitter.
  12. ↑ "ตัวเต็งมาแน่น! เปิดโผผู้เข้าชิง คมชัดลึก อวอร์ด ครั้งที่ 18". TrueID. 2022-02-25.
  13. ↑ Jeaneration (2022-07-27). "สรุปผลรางวัลชมรมวิจารณ์บันเทิง ครั้งที่ 30 "4Kings" นำ "เอหิปัสสิโก" ซิวหนังแห่งปี". ทรูไอดี. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
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