In 2005, Jordan Clark produced and directed arguably the most compelling documentary ever made about Thailand’s bar girl industry. The documentary cleverly weaves itself through the many facets of the “sex for sale” scene, while centering its focus on the archetypal victim of circumstance; a girl named Pla, whose abusive childhood in a poor family led her to work in bars from the age of thirteen.
Clark immerses himself in Pla's life, developing a close friendship that gives him access to the side of a bar girl most farang (western foreigners) refuse to acknowledge exists; the human soul.
Ambiguity surrounds whether or not 19-year-old Pla is actually sleeping with customers or simply tending the bar as she initially states. However, one thing is clear, she is trapped in the industry both financially and mentally, and it’s only a matter of time before life’s worthlessness leads her to sell her body under the speculation that it might, in some way, lead to a better existence.
Bangkok Girl is a daringly honest, transparent, gripping documentary that stares directly into the eyes of every person who has ever partaken in Thailand’s sex tourism industry, challenging them to question their morality. And it is this unabashed approach that has, over the past 7 years, sparked both praise and criticism from both sex tourists and Thailand’s expatriate community.
Since Bangkok’s Girl release, Jordan Clark has remained silent over his critics, leaving a breeding ground for speculation regarding many aspects of the documentary, yet primarily over the mystery surrounding Pla’s disappearance. That is until now.
In his first official interview since Bangkok Girl’s release, Jordan Clark agrees to speak with The Thailand Life about the filming of Bangkok Girl and life post its release.
Bangkok Girl – The Interview
Hello Jordan, and welcome to The Thailand Life. Thank you for agreeing to come on and speak with us about Bangkok girl.
1. In the documentary you mentioned that you’d travelled previously in the region. When did you first visit Thailand, and how much did you know about the bar girl industry before you began filming?
The first time I travelled to S.E. Asia and Thailand was in 2000. I pretty much stuck to the backpacker tourist trail and didn't venture into the bars. I was very aware of sex being for sale – mainly from the stories and bragging of other travelers. At that time, my knowledge of the bar girl industry was limited to jokes, stories and statistics from outside sources.
2. Was the documentary something you’d arranged with CBC before going to Thailand, or did you film it independently and then offer the rights for airing?
I had no arrangement with CBC before I began. When the film was finished CBC acquired the rights to broadcast it. They did a VERY heavy story edit and cut 30 minutes out of what was a feature film at the time.
3. You met Pla by chance on Sukhumvit road. Can you tell us more about that meeting?
There is really not much more to tell than what was in the film. We just met and clicked right off the bat as friends. After hanging out a few times, we created the film together.
4. Some argue that Pla was exploited by not being remunerated for her part in the documentary, and not complicit to being part of an international documentary. Others say she was paid to fuel the sensationalism. Watching the documentary, she seemed entirely happy to share her world with you, and to your credit you took a gentle, non-pushy approach. Can you confirm whether there was a contractual deal with Pla?
There was a contract with Pla which addressed the above issues. Any person being featured in a biographical sense is being exploited, just as any sense of realism to that exploitation is in control of the person themselves and the editor of the film. Pla was aware I was making a film and was an integral part in crafting the story.
5. Watching the documentary one can’t help but be intrigued by your relationship with Pla. It’s obvious you cared a great deal about her, and that you were deeply affected by the time you spent with her. Was the relationship always strictly platonic?
Yes, it was always platonic. Pla changed my life and there isn't a day that goes by where I do not think of her.
6. Many have chosen to ignore your open narrative, and the fact that Pla never asked you for money, preferring instead to view you as naive in your approach, suggesting that in a sense the documentary backfired because Pla was simply “playing the role”, hoping for some level of financial reward from you. What did you feel at the time, and looking back now do you still feel the same way?
The film was shot in early 2002 and I was naive – I have always freely admitted that. My 29-year-old perspective is very different from my 40-year-old perspective, but I stand by the message in the film and I stand by the way it was delivered. As long as people are talking about it and creating a dialogue, I wouldn't say that anything backfired.
7. At one point the police confiscated your equipment. Were you scared and did you consider abandoning the filming?
Yes, I was very scared. In the film it appears that there was a struggle…this is simply the microphone being bumped around. I freely gave it up and freely paid the fine. The police were clear it was a onetime incident. I don't blame them at all. I had no permits and was pretty much asking for it.
8. Bangkok Girl opens with two striking statements. The first; In this tourist heaven, it isn’t the exquisite countryside that makes the headlines, but the sex trade, and the falang that come to exploit it, and the second; An estimated 800,000 women work in the nightlife industry.
Since the documentary’s release, most would agree that little has been done to protect girls like Pla, and it can be argued on many levels that the industry is increasingly encouraged as a career option for society’s marginalized women. Have you considered coming back to Thailand and making another documentary with reference and comparison to your first?
I have thought about it. I have personally met with two of my more vocal critics and discussed doing a juxtaposition of opinions. However, they usually lose interest when they learn how much work, and how little profit, independent documentary involves.
I don't oppose prostitution – it will exist as long as there is man and woman. What I oppose is economic constraints dictating the terms and the norm of prostitution. I agree that many women chose to enter this field of work, but can we ignore that it is generally the most uneducated and the most economically constrained girls who do? No matter what society you are in, prostitution exploits the most vulnerable of our girls and women. When speaking of sex tourism, I often hear that these girls would be doing the same thing but for less money if it wasn't for the bars catering to Westerners. For the a-moral type personality justification seems to negate exploitation.
I created a dialogue and, in some way, have made some men travelling to Thailand answerable for their activities – be it from a co-worker, a friend, or their family. I'm not sure another film by me would add to this.
9. Bangkok Girl was very well received, and won you much praise and attention from a variety of media sources. Yet it has since provoked a backlash of criticism, with people attacking you personally on blogs and forums. What impact has this had on your life, and why do you think certain people took such offence to what is clearly a very transparent, real life account of a girl working in a bar in Bangkok?
At first, the personal attacks bothered me, but I became somewhat immune to it over time. I have always ignored the anonymous online critic. I could only speculate on why they are so offended. I mean, I don't know them and they don't know me. We form opinions based on personal experience and knowledge, so their statements are really more a reflection of who they are than of myself or the film.
What I say to men who complain about the stigma “Bangkok Girl” presents is this; if you don't want people thinking you are going to Thailand for cheap sex and exploiting economically constrained girls, then don't go to Thailand for cheap sex and exploit economically constrained girls. The statistics indicate that up to 75% of male travelers to Thailand partake in prostitution at some level.
10. One hugely disturbing aspect of the documentary was the British teacher who featured on camera a number of times. Having lived here for 5 years I have encountered this archetypal, misogynistic westerner hundreds of times; the type who sees Thai women as nothing more than flesh that should be used for sexual gratification. Do you think schools in Thailand, both private and public, should be doing more to screen the type of person they are employing to teach children?
That's a tough question. I have no knowledge of the current screening process so I couldn't answer that. I can accuse him of predatory behavior and poor judgment, but how does a school screen for that? He may be an excellent English Teacher. I don't know.
11. Perhaps the most pondered question since the documentary’s release is whether or not Pla is really dead. Many have speculated that you were told she was dead so that you couldn’t contact her anymore, and one website in particular has even gone as far as to publish a so-called statement from one of her friends claiming she is alive and well. Can you tell us exactly what happened to Pla, and about your efforts to find her after returning home, post the documentary?
I don't think anything I answer here will change people's opinion. They will believe whatever supports their behaviour. I will say that broadcast requires Errors and Omissions Insurance – in which 2 lawyers, the insurance company, and the broadcaster fact-checking department scrutinize all of the material and information.
Any mystery that has been created is by anonymous comments. The only way I could effectively answer your question is by releasing information that I promised to keep private. If I am honest, I see more value in the dialogue being created by the dozen or so anonymous ex-pat critics than I do in providing any evidence either way.
12. Why do you think it is so hard for foreign men visiting and living in Thailand, and indeed other Asian countries, to believe that girls like Pla come from abusive backgrounds, and to accept that they are victims of a vicious circle so many girls get caught up in due to a variety of social-economic reasons?
Thailand has done an incredible job of making it seem normal and fun; the constant presence of police officers for instance – if something was wrong, wouldn't they be doing something? One can't help but think “how could anything so terrible be so fun”? Most Westerners who partake in the night scene come from working class backgrounds. In their home country, most of the prostitutes (at the street/bar level) come from sexually/physically abusive backgrounds which have led to drug abuse that is sustained by selling sex. In Thailand, it is generally economic constraints so we don't see the hardened victim trying to make a buck.
The bars in Thailand put customers first… period. So the girl must create a friendly environment. What is she going to do? Sit there and complain about how much she hates these disgusting foreigners? There are lots of Thai girls who enjoy working in the bars as well – that has to be mentioned.
It becomes a matter of seeing what you want to believe. It is a matter of personal morals. Again, I don't condemn the act of prostitution, just the constraints (and exploitation thereof) that dictate the terms.
Also, the most common defense I hear from ex-pats is that prostitution among Thai's themselves is much more exploitative and rampant than sex tourism. I agree, but find it unfortunately comical that ex-pats pick and chose which parts of Thai society they will embrace.
13. For me, Pla’s disability was a hugely poignant aspect of the documentary. Her disabled hand, coupled with lack of education, meant her job options were limited even more so than her bar peers. But strangely, of all the comments I’ve seen about Bangkok Girl online, none discuss this as a contributing factor to her fate. Why do you think this is, and do you think this is indicative of western ignorance toward Thai society?
Good point. I think it would simply go against whatever argument they were trying to make.
14. The fact that the documentary has commanded such huge attention is testament to your skills as a producer/director. Unlike any other documentary on Thailand’s sex industry, Bangkok Girl brilliantly captures the face of a human soul behind the industry. I personally believe that’s why so many foreigners struggle to accept its authenticity – because it evokes such emotion and essentially forces us to look in the mirror. Was this entirely intentional, and did you have any idea of the impact you were creating at the time?
I think it is more a testament to the intrigue of Pla – without her I would have no film. That said, I wanted to make a film that focused on one girl and gave a voice to the issue. I am not claiming to be the moral superior, or expert, I just wanted to tell a story and create a dialogue, which I did. I am not sure if I have had any impact on the situation, but I do think there is now a face that some people can think of when they hear about these things. I consider it a stepping stone for discussion, positive or negative.
15. When a documentary maker creates such an impact as you did with Bangkok Girl, one expects more work to follow in fairly quick succession. Have you continued to work in film since?
I spent the last 6 years studying Philippine folklore and recently released “The Aswang Phenomenon” for free online. It is a feature length anthropological/ sociological study of a Philippine ghoul geared towards the educational market. Aside from that I do corporate film.
I'd rather just tell the stories I want to tell as opposed to telling the stories others think I should tell. I was offered the director's position on several documentaries dealing with prostitution, but I really feel that I have said what I wanted to say about it – it certainly isn't all that needs to be said, but I am satisfied with my contribution to the dialogue.
Once again Jordan, thank you for your time, and thank you for the compelling, insightful Bangkok Girl documentary. I wish you all the best for the future.
Thank you.
Last Updated on
Justafarang says
I only just recently saw the documentary and three days later I'm still really affected by it.
My partner is Thai and I really love Thailand, I've never seen the bar girl side of it because being married to a Thai I end up with the Thais and not with the tourists.
I see so much of what I love about my wife in Pla, the ability to be strong even though things aren't great, she could be so beaten down but she's bubbly and funny.
I agree with comments that she was most likely up to a lot more than Jordan knew but that does not detract from the film or from Pla.
On the topic of her death it's a rare mystery that Jordan has created and there's several reasons what could be the truth behind it..
However, at the end of the day I believe that it's a typical product of grief that people demand an answer to things, and demand closure (even in the case of a film about people they don't know).
This is the same of any story or movie that affects people in that place, where they are left with no closure.
It could be that Jordan has tried to stage this for dramatic effect, or it could be that he is telling the truth.
I've seen him post before that the legal aspects of making the film dragged on before CBC released it and how he was required to re do contracts with all the people involved, if Pla had died a week later how could this have been possible? I don't know, or maybe the answer is simply 'this' that the idea of her death has created lots of discussion and dialogue and would it have had the same effect if we all knew what happened? If it's all legal and true anyone keen enough could verify the films claims by contacting CBC, if it's s requirement that facts be verified one could always challenge this.
It doesn't do much to gain any closure for me, and only Jordan, Pla and those close to them know what really happened.
I am happy I found the documentary regardless of its truth, the idea of Pla makes me want to be a better person and to do my best to help people in difficult situations
As for those who complain about Jordan not stepping in you have to keep in mind that you don't know what happened off camera, you only see what the editor wanted you to. I think on camera he does a pretty typical job of being the unbiased director, right or wrong its an unbiased manner in which he's tried to let Pla be the actor and capture events that are affected by his presence in a minimal way, anything could have happened off camera, but same way .. We will never know.
For all the things I love and hate about it and agree and disagree with, I'm very touched by the story and for that I congratulate Jordan and Pla.
Nov 03, 2014 at 2:17 pm
goodbyepla says
Pla's story moved me deeply and I've got quite a few choice words for those who cloud her memory with their wild theories on how those supposedly duplicitous little bargirl minds allegedly work.
I'm a Korean girl raised in a similarly restrictive and face-saving, but economically very different bracket of society, with a history of trauma not as extensive as hers, and I do remember being 19. I completely identified with Pla throughout the film and was utterly gutted at the ending.
As a matter of fact, Pla reminds me very strongly of my good friend from college, a North Korean refugee who escaped the harsh regime only to be subject to horrible, inhumane things in the slums of China before she found asylum here in the South.
I see so much of her in Pla: the same vibrant, strong personality, subtle defense mechanisms, endearing and strangely vulnerable mannerisms, seemingly cheerful but rather macabre humor, her basic mistrust of men often sloughed off in her longing for a real human connection.
None of it is fake. The distinction between fake and real died a long time ago. Working girls like this wear their hearts on their sleeves at that age because they don't know how else to cope. My friend and I have had our girly 'deep talks' throughout the years, and I know a genuine face when I see one. Pla definitely warms to Jordan, and to my experienced little eye, she even seems to end up liking him more than a little.
This is especially evident in scenes where she talks almost detached-ly about farang men leaving the bar girls, or when she comes back after two days and invites Jordan to her home, underdressed and defenseless and seemingly happy to see him again. Then she tells him about the money, and she keeps talking about jumping, or talks about Jordan's plane crashing on the way to Canada, and I want to jump into the screen and knock Jordan senseless, because don't you see she's clearly testing you?? Prodding for a response, something like, no, I won't leave you, or okay, I won't go to Canada, or no, please don't jump, because I care about you. Something that tells her, look I've cared enough about you to listen to your story through the lens, and now I care enough about you to want you to keep living afterwards. She WANTS you to be ANGRY about her having lost her virginity to a disgusting random older guy over money, when she REALLY was wanting YOU, the non-paying, contract-based, observant cameraman, the whole time. And part of you knows it too. But you keep your cool so totally...
You know I really believe she was a virgin up to the point she had to spend two days with that random other farang, and I do believe her mother was ill. The poorer among us obviously can get sicker more suddenly and frequently because they lack nutrition and have more stress in life. And from what I have seen in my friend, girls like this rarely lie outright in your face unless they absolutely hate you and spit it out like Pla treated the boozy drunkard towards the end. They can try to conceal some things, but they never really tell lies unless you force them into it. I know this might sound like nothing, but I have seen my friend accused of so many things, even when I had solid evidence of her innocence, it disgusts me absolutely, the shadow that is cast on her veracity simply because of her 'past'.
So consider the whole thing from the perspective of the girl. She hits it off nicely with a relatively younger foreign man who actually listens to what she has to say and actually seems to respect her as a human being, as a friend, an equal. She confides in him -- something that's rare and special for girls with this kind of trauma. Basically she places her trust in him, but then she starts getting scared of her own emotions, and then her mother needs money for thyroid surgery. But Pla doesn't want to tarnish the precious new relationship by getting money involved. So she ends up selling her virginity to this guy she doesn't like, and she meets up with Jordan again and tells him everything. She keeps joking about suicide and jumping and keeps trying to elicit some kind of response that will provoke him to stay, but he doesn't bite. And then on the last night they have together, Jordan just stands stock still, filming away, almost seeming to play along, while she is harassed by a disgusting man she can't say no to. Jordan could have intervened, most definitely. He could have said something as passive as, I need to interview her separately for filming, please step back. But he doesn't do or say anything. And this is a mere two days after her hard-kept innocence was violated for money. The look on her face is so broken towards the end.
Money is important, undoubtedly, and she has obviously been through a lot, but that doesn't mean she's irrevocably calloused already. For girls at that still-formative age, your basic morality, your principles, your body identity, your relationships, these are just as tantamount to survival as the roof over your head or food on your table. Ask any teenage girl who has attempted suicide over a little teenage love affair.
I don't know if Pla really died. It's possible she was too heartbroken or something and her friends decided to protect her by feeding the staff the story, or something. Girls like this tend to have protective friends like me. If she did die, which I don't think is a theory people can just toss aside altogether, I honestly believe the most likely cause of death was suicide.
I know Mr. Clark has probably gone through all the what-ifs a million times in his head, and I don't want to add to that pile, but seriously, he is so daft, she was so into him, and he let her down on so many levels, I don't even... it just hurts to watch. Of course, he couldn't have known.
OR could he? All those comments about doubting her and her bargirl charms, those could have been done away with. He could have accepted her for who she was, as she presented herself, and done away with the 'sex trade' angle altogether. I really do think that could have meant a world of difference.
We're only duplicitous if you make us be.
Oct 18, 2014 at 5:55 pm
TheThailandLife says
Oct 18, 2014 at 7:43 pm
goodbyepla says
I agree the documentary is compelling and Mr Clark has done a masterful job of telling Pla's story. I also realize that he did step in as much as his 29-year old self could. (I am still in my early twenties, so I can't presume to know the difference an adult decade makes.)
But I am still left disturbed by the conventions of film that seem to have held the cameraman back. I am reminded of two things: electrons being observed by light photons get pushed about in the scientific observation process, creating huge margins of error. And a Pulitzer- winning photojournalist snapped the infamous image of a vulture eyeing a starving child, instead of getting immediate help.
No one can slip into someone's life and pull them into a raw and candid exchange, while still claiming to adhere to coventions of detachment. It's like what Mike said up there in earlier comments... Pla's psychological well being was probably compromised in the process. I agree with the narration towards the end that says he could perhaps have remembered Pla better if he hadn't held the camera.
He definitely toes the lines between human compassion, doubt, and professionalism,in this film, which is what leads to and adds to all the allegations and confusion. I'm glad you arranged this interview to clear the air for good. I think I personally would have done things very differently, but then again I'm not him and I wasn't there.
Oct 20, 2014 at 3:45 pm
TheThailandLife says
That said, the documentary has reached hundreds of thousands of people and helped spread an understanding of the plight of girls like Pla. It has done far more good than harm, and for that Jordan Clark should be proud.
It's crucial that sex tourists are not allowed to continually ignore the fact that behind the heels and mini-skirts hides a human soul; a daughter, a sister, most probably a mother. Behind the smile lies broken dreams, aspirations and quite often abuse. No girl grows up wanting to be a prostitute. Fact.
Jordan unveiled this soul in the most gentle way he could. Sure, it's easy to sit on the sofa and say her wellbeing was compromised and he should have done XYZ, but then the fact that he risked his own safety through his motivation to share Pla's story and confront the world with such a naked, never-seen before truth is highly commendable.
I have thought a lot about this documentary over the years and considered all the angles. And the more I watch it, the clearer it becomes. The reason the documentary is so compelling and evokes such emotion is because it is so real.
Jordan Clark had no corporate agenda; he had no idea that it would be aired on Canadian TV or become the most famous documentary ever made about the sex industry in Thailand. He wasn't in it to sell DVDs or land a publishing deal: He was just a guy who wanted to tell the story of a girl he admired and genuinely valued as a person. He just grabbed his camera and did it through inspiration and intuition.
And because of this, every person I know who has watched the documentary has fought back tears and been in deep thought for days afterwards.
It also worth considering that the documentary has had a huge impact on Jordan's life too. He had no idea of the beast he was creating. While he has been widely commended for his work, he has also been subject to a lot of insult, much of it completely unfounded slander about his personal life and family. He has had to deal with his son reading such lies on the internet, which is totally uncalled for.
Of course, no doubt this hate comes from sex tourists who can't bear to see Pla's human soul reflecting back at them. If they look for too long they face the prospect of having to meet their own insecurities.
Instead, they'd rather live in their "You don't understand, these girls love it; they're callous hookers who'll do anything for money" world. These are the same guys who then proceed to give you their take on Thai culture learnt from a bar stool in a red light district – having never read a book, attended a cultural exhibition or mixed with Thais outside of the tourist industry.
The reality is, even though Jordan has a family now, the documentary never really ended for him. As he says in the interview, not a day goes by when he doesn't think of Pla and the time they shared.
I don't think any of us who've seen the documentary will forget her either. And that's a good thing, isn't it?
Oct 22, 2014 at 12:09 pm
eric says
I really disagree with your positive assessment of his video. Pla was a kid with a "Hahd life!" as a good friend of mine from Surin puts it. He should have NEVER let her true identity out.( face ) She ( my friend ) was lucky and hardworking and landed a decent job in a hospital there I will not mention out of respect for her privacy. She did not to do that kind of work but did not look down on the ladies. And no I did not meet her or most of my Thai friends, ( I said most ;-) ) in a bar. It is a truly heart wrenching and sad story. Unfortunately Pla's story was simplistically and sensationally displayed by a naive guy with a camera and too much self righteousness. I was still trying to save the world into my 30's. Maybe that was just his way. Or maybe a vehicle for his own self promotion as a camera jocky.
Aug 25, 2018 at 4:59 am
TheThailandLife says
I don't think the documentary is a representation of how western men see Asian women in general. Some do, but only the ignorant ones - many of which do holiday in Thailand :)
But to answer your question, no, I don't know of any other documentaries like this.
May 12, 2014 at 11:51 am
pkpk says
Which website we can have a look ka?
May 12, 2014 at 1:25 am
pkpk says
But Something make me feel like “A Touch Of Sensitive,Sincerely, Innocence, and How Selfish You are"
XXXXX
May 08, 2014 at 11:13 pm
TheThailandLife says
May 10, 2014 at 2:36 pm
Jag says
Feb 19, 2014 at 3:02 pm
TheThailandLife says
Feb 19, 2014 at 5:35 pm
gerald says
Feb 17, 2014 at 8:13 pm
barend says
thank you Jordan!
barend
Jan 07, 2014 at 4:05 am
Mike says
I am struck by Clark's answers to two of your questions (4 and 11). Around the issue of Pla being exploited in the making of the film, he says that a contract was drawn up that addressed these issues, and she was happy to participate. At first glance, this seems re-assuring. But the same inequality that Clark has identified over prostitution also exists in his film-making process. How much would a poorly-educated girl from northern Thailand (whose English was non-existent when she arrived in Bangkok and is still pretty basic, and whose life experience is so much more limited than the director's) really understand of this arrangement, or the likely consequences of it - particularly the emotional and psychological ones? I cannot believe they were equal partners here. Clark is attracted by Pla's innocence, and as far as one can judge from the film, she is at first motivated by an innocent desire to tell her story, one that she thinks no-one knows or cares about. But as that story unfolds, she seems increasingly uncomfortable and distressed by what is being so publicly revealed. I doubt she ever anticipated this.
Around the fate of Pla herself - and since her presence animates and drives the film news of her sudden death is both deeply affecting and highly disturbing - things remain frustratingly vague. We are told that CBC verified this information, but that the details (given in confidence) cannot be disclosed. Some have questioned whether she really died at all. Others have said that participating in such a film may have put her at risk of violence from others. At this stage, we can only speculate. But I am left wondering what the impact of disclosing so much painful information on camera may have done to Pla herself.
Pla's personal story is used to drive a wide-ranging debate about prostitution in Thailand. But it is also a story about abandonment. When Pla is deeply distressed on film it is not through talking about her life as a bar-girl but the loss of her father, who disappeared when she was seven. I do not doubt Clark's empathy with Pla, but in pushing her on this issue, which she was very reluctant to talk about, I think he took a considerable risk, and one that could have provoked a dangerous emotional backlash after he left (if it threw up shame at publicly disclosing this). Towards the end of the film, she starts to feel a sense of abandonment towards the director she has shared so much with - saying with wry humour that soon he will fly back to Canada, but it will be far harder for her to escape from her own surroundings. Whether this was in anyway linked to her death we do not know. But I am left with a nagging concern that participating in such an emotionally intimate venture did her no favours.
Jan 05, 2014 at 3:24 am
TheThailandLife says
Jan 05, 2014 at 7:28 am
Mike says
Jordan Clark showed real sensitivity and empathy in crafting this, and I have no doubt that Pla helped shape it with him. She wanted to tell her story, and she did. As you say, it 'personalises the experience of a human being lost inside an unforgiving world.'
And yet, she may have paid a price for it. The film suggests little hope for Pla's future - but on an everyday level she seemed to find a way of surviving in this 'unforgiving world', whatever the cost to her, and still retained a moving innocence and charm. The film and its disclosures were probably uncharted territory. In the west we have become familiar with the dangers of sharing a traumatic story on camera, recognize the person doing it can sometimes experience a backlash - and often put emotional support in place. I wonder about the consequences for her. Perhaps we will never know. But at the end, with the director (both a confidant and source of support on this filmic journey) about to leave for Canada, she seemed vulnerable and alone.
Jan 05, 2014 at 8:55 am
George says
Dec 29, 2013 at 8:08 pm
TheThailandLife says
Dec 30, 2013 at 4:27 am