The Truth Be Told

[FACT comments: We loved this film about FACT past coordinator Supinya. Viewers are led to examine Thailand’s troubled politics, where we’ve come from, where we are now and, if we can share Supinya’s vision for free expression, where we’re going.]

Pimpaka Towira’s “The Truth Be Told: The Cases Against Supinya Klangnarong”

The Truth Be Told gets an exclusive release only at SF World from 29 May, screening everyday at 7:00pm in a four-week run. Special activities are organized for audiences to meet with the filmmakers and cast & crew every Friday and Saturday.

The Truth Be Told: The Cases Against Supinya Klangnarong is documentary by Pimpaka Towira. Chronicling the life of Supinya Klangnarong, the Secretary-General of the Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR), who in 2004 faced a huge defamation lawsuit from Shin Corporation – at the time belonging to the family of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The film takes a deep look at the recent changes and development in Thai politics and society over the past few years, from the Thaksin administration to the 2006 coup d’état, as well as its aftermath.

The Truth Be Told: The Cases Against Supinya Klangnarong

Documentary feature film
2007, 105 minutes
Digital, Colour, in Thai with English subtitles
Produced and conceived by:         Pimpaka Towira
Cinematographers:                       Nitivat Cholvanichsiri, Uruphong Raksasad,
Oraporn Laksanakorn, Pattana Chirawong
Editor:                                          Pimpaka Towira
Sound:                                         Patarapool Wimolsilapin
Sound Mixing                               Sirote Tulsook
Production Manager                     Praguyfon Ruengdej
Postproduction Supported by       The Post Bangkok
Cinematic

Synopsis:
A chronicle of the crucial moment in the life of Supinya Klangnarong, a Thai media activist and Secretary-General of the Campaign for Popular Media Reform (CPMR), in her fight against the 2003 defamation charges from Shin Corporation, the telecommunication giant owned at the time by the family of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The case was filed against her and the daily newspaper Thai Post following her published article which suggests a conflict of interest due to the government’s beneficiary policies for the corporation. As a result, she faced both criminal and civil libel suits, threatening for 400 million Baht (11 million USD) and imprisonment.

Although the charges were later dropped in March 2006, this vicious lawsuit that had been haunting her life through this 3-year period has become a part of her, as well as serving as a political instrument over the course of the time. Does this victory of hers spark hope for the rest of us, that the freedom of speech may just help bringing about a change in the Thai society and politics?

Or is it just in our thought that it can change?