Thai, 1997/2024, 110 mins, in English & Thai with Thai & English subtitles

‘A Dangerous and Evil Cult for These Desperate Times!’

 

Inspired by John Waters’ ‘Pink Flamingo’, in December 1995 a gang of naïve first-time filmmakers, all outsiders, made a 16 mm feature film with begged and borrowed locations, starring a household pet, family and friends. You can clearly taste the intoxicating sweetness and freedom of their insane adventure to make the first full-length shoestring indie movie in the history of Thai cinema. Little did they know how seriously the world would take their cinematic joyride, which was subsequently banned by the Thai government censors (then under the police) one day before its premiere at the first Bangkok Film Festival in 1998, as “offensive to all religions”. Not content with the ban with no possibility of appeal, the Chuan Leekpai government then summoned the director to appear before the Parliamentary House Committee on Culture, the Arts and Religious Affairs. 25 years later, ‘DogGod’ or ‘My Teacher Eats Biscuits 2020: Director’s Cut’ appears after being digitized and recut by the director during COVID lockdown. Censorship rules permit the resubmission of a film after recutting and retitling. It was duly submitted in 2024; the film censors, now under the Culture Ministry instead of the police, passed it with a rating of 15+

 

Rich young American-Thai Robin imports cult investigator Victor all the way from New York to Bangkok, to rescue his young wife Cherry Pie and baby from a New Age cult. On arrival at the Ashram of Boundless Love, they discover a far darker reality than even they imagined. Even Victor himself may not escape its devious brain-washing machine. Devoted disciples worship a Thai mongrel dog believed to be divine, and 3 Gurus led by a mysterious woman named Satri, who claims to have been a male Buddhist monk in her previous incarnation, back to avenge a heartbreaking crisis of faith. The tribute to ‘Pink Flamingo’ includes a dogshit-eating scene performed by superstar Krissada Sukosol Clapp (instead of Divine) in his first film role as a desperate man trying to save his wayward wife from an evil cult. The charismatic DogGod and his 3 Gurus; their ashram’s pastel pinks in honey-coloured sunshine, all hide in plain sight the darkest reality of the nature of belief. Cartoonish but packs a punch despite or because of its disarming absurdity. So much more relevant now than in 1998 that it no longer feels like a satire, and that’s kind of scary.

 

Cast: Fiona Tarini Graham, Krissada Sukosol Clapp, Chuchai Laingern, Kanin Chandrasma, Santi Isarowutikul, MR Smansnid Svasti, Malina Palasthira, Daniel Sussott, Rathakal Noiprasith, Douglas Russell, Kitja Tawaytibhongs, Klomjit Chandrapanya, Mark Graham, Pinida Kongsiri, Oy Kanjanavanit, Pin Zabriskie, Sam Ganja, James Eckhardt

 

Writer-director: Ing K

Producer & Editor: Brian Bennett

Cinematography: Manit Sriwanichpoom, Brian Bennett

Costume: Nunie Svasti, Malina Palasthira

Production Sound: Paisit Punpleuksachart

Make-Up: Sammi Jo

Original Music ‘The Prophet Margin’ by Jude Reveley & the Dark Prayer Ensemble

Film Processing: Kantana Lab

Answer Print: DuArt Lab