The director of a film about child trafficking and prostitution in Thailand is protesting the Bangkok International Film Festival's removal of the film from its lineup. On Tuesday, during the opening day of the sixth annual Bangkok fest, Junji Sakamoto, the Japanese director of "Children of the Dark" - which organizers last week barred from screening in the festival on the grounds that it lacked the proper permits – said he would hold a news conference for Wednesday. "This film must be shown (to) all of the world, especially in Thailand for the children's future," Sakamoto said in a statement. "To stop this film is the same as shutting children's futures, also shutting the future in the country." Yongyoot Thongkongtoon, Festival artistic director, said the ban of the Thai-Japanese co-production was more about the subject matter and the image problem it represents for Thailand. The ban makes this year's festival the second in a row to drop a film invited to screen.
Hollywood Reporter