Som Ock Southiponh
Encyclopedia
Som Ock Southiphonh is a Laotian
film director
, screenwriter
and film producer
. Trained in Czechoslovakia
, his films include Red Lotus, which was made in 1988 and is the last feature film made in Laos. Since then, Som Ock has run a bakery in Vientiene to supplement his income while he tries to independently produce films.
government of Laos
to study filmmaking in Prague
. Originally wanting to study law, filmmaking was not Southiphonh's first choice, but he agreed because he would get to travel abroad. He was enrolled in the Faculty of Film and Television, Academy of Arts and Music, at Charles University in Prague
, where he studied cinematography under Jan Machane of Barrandov Studios
. Southiphonh spent nine years studying in Prague, and was the only one of the six Laotian students to complete his training.
During his time in Prague, he returned to Laos to film a 16-mm documentary, Country of a Million Elephants, which became has graduation film and was broadcast on Czech television. He returned to Laos for good in 1987 and began working for Lao National Television as a director and cameraman.
The work involved producing what he called "tourist political" pieces about Luang Prabang
. "It was not what I could call rewarding," Southiphonh said in an interview. "After studying at a university, I wanted to use my skills to make something of better quality."
He soon changed jobs to work for the Lao State Cinematography Company, which employed several other Lao filmmakers who had studied in Russia, Bulgaria, Hungary, India, and Czechoslovakia. In 1987, Southipohn made two 35-mm films: a color documentary about the Communist Party Conference
in Vientiane
and a black-and-white docu-drama, Red Lotus or Bua Deng. Red Lotus is one of only two feature films made in Laos since 1975 (see also History of Laos since 1945
). The other feature is the 35-mm color film, Gun Voice from the Plain of Jars, directed by Somchith Pholsena in 1983. The story of soldiers of the Second Battalion of the Lao People's Army, the film was never released due to the concerns of censors.
The story of star-cross lovers in 1972, war-time Laos (the lead actress Somchith Vongsam Ang later married Southiphonh), Red Lotus was produced with a budget of US$5,000.
"Red Lotus was very difficult to make because we had nothing, really nothing. The big problem in making such a film in Laos is that we didn't have money," Southiphonh said. "We had to use a World War II
-era Soviet
camera that had a tendency to speed up at will and a cast that worked for nothing. I must confess that the budget and the 22-day schedule did not allow for much opportunity to shoot everything the way I wanted to."
Despite the difficulties, the film was screened in Laos, as well as the Soviet Union
, Japan
, Thailand
and Cambodia
, where it won a special jury prize at the First Southeast Asia Film Festival in Phnom Penh in April 1997.
However, Southiphonh longed to make films independently, and he left the State Cinematography Company in 1989 with hopes of establishing his own video production company. "Money, however, was still a problem, so I did something which may be unique to the history of cinema: I started a bakery. My love of cinema was true, but I needed to earn money if I ever wanted to make films independently," Southipone said. "Fortunately, the bakery, which I run with my wife, was successful, so after about five years of hard work, I had raised enough money to buy my first professional video camera."
Southiphonh formed Lao-Inter Arts, Inc., the first private production company in Vientiane. For the company's first production, Southiphonh chose to make a documentary film on the Lenetene people in remote Bokeo Province, and submitted his outline for a script-development competition held by Francophonie. He won US$16,000 and used it to complete the 26-minute video documentary, Lenetene's Spinning Tops, in 1993.
The video was shown at the 1994 Jeux de la Francophonie
, and was awarded a Medal of Merit. The film was also shown at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival
in 1995.
Southiphonh has also completed another short documentary, The Lao Lamvong, about a Laotian traditional dance.
Meanwhile, he has tried to complete another feature film, and has written a 120-page script for a drama film about friendship, tentatively titled Given Time (Kala Vela).
But the Laotian market for films is too small and there is no funding for film projects available.
"The only thing we can hope for is that through co-production, meaning 100% foreign financing and 100% Laotian talent, Laotian cinema can keep, at least momentarily, its artisans active until better days arrive," Southiponh said.
It is our hope that through our efforts, we can help build a domestic Laotian cinema culture, one that is independent and that captures the essence of Laos as a country, its people, and its deep-rooted culture and arts. Then I dream that when people praise recent Asian cinema, they will include Laos as well.
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
. Trained in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, his films include Red Lotus, which was made in 1988 and is the last feature film made in Laos. Since then, Som Ock has run a bakery in Vientiene to supplement his income while he tries to independently produce films.
Biography
Som Ock Southiphonh was among six Laotians selected in 1977 by the communistCommunism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
government of Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
to study filmmaking in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. Originally wanting to study law, filmmaking was not Southiphonh's first choice, but he agreed because he would get to travel abroad. He was enrolled in the Faculty of Film and Television, Academy of Arts and Music, at Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
, where he studied cinematography under Jan Machane of Barrandov Studios
Barrandov Studios
Barrandov Studios is a famous set of film studios in Prague, Czech Republic. It is the largest film studio in the country and one of the largest in Europe.Several of the movies filmed there won Academy Awards...
. Southiphonh spent nine years studying in Prague, and was the only one of the six Laotian students to complete his training.
During his time in Prague, he returned to Laos to film a 16-mm documentary, Country of a Million Elephants, which became has graduation film and was broadcast on Czech television. He returned to Laos for good in 1987 and began working for Lao National Television as a director and cameraman.
The work involved producing what he called "tourist political" pieces about Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang, or Louangphrabang , is a city located in north central Laos, where the Nam Khan river meets the Mekong River about north of Vientiane. It is the capital of Luang Prabang Province...
. "It was not what I could call rewarding," Southiphonh said in an interview. "After studying at a university, I wanted to use my skills to make something of better quality."
He soon changed jobs to work for the Lao State Cinematography Company, which employed several other Lao filmmakers who had studied in Russia, Bulgaria, Hungary, India, and Czechoslovakia. In 1987, Southipohn made two 35-mm films: a color documentary about the Communist Party Conference
Lao People's Revolutionary Party
The Lao People's Revolutionary Party is a communist political party that has governed Laos since 1975. The policy-making organs are the politburo and the central committee. A party congress, which elects members to the politburo and central committee, is held every five years...
in Vientiane
Vientiane
-Geography:Vientiane is situated on a bend of the Mekong river, which forms the border with Thailand at this point.-Climate:Vientiane features a tropical wet and dry climate with a distinct monsoon season and a dry season. Vientiane’s dry season spans from November through March. April marks the...
and a black-and-white docu-drama, Red Lotus or Bua Deng. Red Lotus is one of only two feature films made in Laos since 1975 (see also History of Laos since 1945
History of Laos since 1945
For Laotian history before 1945, see History of Laos to 1945.Note: this article follows the system for transliterating Lao names used in Martin Stuart-Fox's History of Laos...
). The other feature is the 35-mm color film, Gun Voice from the Plain of Jars, directed by Somchith Pholsena in 1983. The story of soldiers of the Second Battalion of the Lao People's Army, the film was never released due to the concerns of censors.
The story of star-cross lovers in 1972, war-time Laos (the lead actress Somchith Vongsam Ang later married Southiphonh), Red Lotus was produced with a budget of US$5,000.
"Red Lotus was very difficult to make because we had nothing, really nothing. The big problem in making such a film in Laos is that we didn't have money," Southiphonh said. "We had to use a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-era Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
camera that had a tendency to speed up at will and a cast that worked for nothing. I must confess that the budget and the 22-day schedule did not allow for much opportunity to shoot everything the way I wanted to."
Despite the difficulties, the film was screened in Laos, as well as the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, where it won a special jury prize at the First Southeast Asia Film Festival in Phnom Penh in April 1997.
However, Southiphonh longed to make films independently, and he left the State Cinematography Company in 1989 with hopes of establishing his own video production company. "Money, however, was still a problem, so I did something which may be unique to the history of cinema: I started a bakery. My love of cinema was true, but I needed to earn money if I ever wanted to make films independently," Southipone said. "Fortunately, the bakery, which I run with my wife, was successful, so after about five years of hard work, I had raised enough money to buy my first professional video camera."
Southiphonh formed Lao-Inter Arts, Inc., the first private production company in Vientiane. For the company's first production, Southiphonh chose to make a documentary film on the Lenetene people in remote Bokeo Province, and submitted his outline for a script-development competition held by Francophonie. He won US$16,000 and used it to complete the 26-minute video documentary, Lenetene's Spinning Tops, in 1993.
The video was shown at the 1994 Jeux de la Francophonie
Jeux de la Francophonie
The Jeux de la Francophonie are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie, mostly French speaking nations, held every four years since 1989, partly as a counterweight to the Commonwealth Games.-Editions:-Sports:There were four sports...
, and was awarded a Medal of Merit. The film was also shown at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival
Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival
The Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival is a documentary film festival held biennially in Yamagata, Japan.It was first held in October 1989, which makes it one of the longest running documentary film festivals in the world and the most distinguished such festival in Asia...
in 1995.
Southiphonh has also completed another short documentary, The Lao Lamvong, about a Laotian traditional dance.
Meanwhile, he has tried to complete another feature film, and has written a 120-page script for a drama film about friendship, tentatively titled Given Time (Kala Vela).
But the Laotian market for films is too small and there is no funding for film projects available.
"The only thing we can hope for is that through co-production, meaning 100% foreign financing and 100% Laotian talent, Laotian cinema can keep, at least momentarily, its artisans active until better days arrive," Southiponh said.
It is our hope that through our efforts, we can help build a domestic Laotian cinema culture, one that is independent and that captures the essence of Laos as a country, its people, and its deep-rooted culture and arts. Then I dream that when people praise recent Asian cinema, they will include Laos as well.