Hollywood director apologizes for offending the Buddha

[Guest guest]

Srinivasan Kalyanaraman <kalyan97@g...> wrote:

Hollywood Director Apologizes For Offending Buddha

http://www.dailynews.lk/2004/09/11/new02.html

 

Hollyllywood director apologises for offending Buddhists

 

BANGKOK, Friday (Reuters) -

 

The writer and director of U.S. movie "Hollywood Buddha" has

apologised for offending Buddhists by sitting on the head of a Buddha

image for a poster advertising the movie and has promised to withdraw

it.

 

A Thai foreign ministry official told reporters film director and

writer Philippe Caland had promised the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles

he would also remove the photograph of the poster from the film's

Website.

 

Screenings of "Hollywood Buddha" in U.S. cinemas would be preceded by

a message of apology for any unintentional offence, Kiattikhun

Chartprasert quoted Caland as saying.

 

The poster shows Caland, who also stars in the YBG Productions film,

sitting atop a Buddha's head. To Thai Buddhists, the head is the most

sacred part of the body and is not to be touched, let alone sat upon.

 

Caland's feet - the least holy part of the body to Thai Buddhists and

never to be pointed at anyone - dangle by the figure's eyes. "The Thai

embassy has lodged a formal protest and the Thai consul has talked to

Mr. Philippe Caland, who offers his apology for the unintended

offence," Kiattikhun said.

 

The ministry's action followed a public outcry raised in Thai

newspapers that published the poster on front pages and captioned it

"Buddhism Humiliated".

 

Thai politicians joined the uproar this week, urging people of all

faiths to bombard Caland with emails with their grievances and calling

on the government to ban the film in Thailand.

 

The film's Web site, www.ybg.com/hollywoodbuddha, says the film is

about an independent Hollywood film producer who struggles to keep his

head above water as everything falls apart around him.

 

Earlier, our Kandy Correspondent L. B. Wijayasiri in a report states:

The most Ven. Mahanayaka Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Maha

Vihara Chapters in a joint communique addressed to President Chandrika

Bandaranaike Kumaratunga have requested her to protest against a film

produced in the United States titled "Hollywood Buddha" reportedly

scheduled to screening in Los Angeles for the first time on October

23, which they believe is highly insulting to the Buddha and the

Dhamma.

 

Most Ven. Thibbotuwawe Sri Sidhartha Sumangala Mahanayaka Thera of the

Malwatte Maha Chapter and the Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkhitha

Mahanayaka Thera of the Asgiriya Maha Vihara Chapter have signed the

letter in which they have expressed their shock and astonishment to

read a story about this film and to see a picture of an actor seated

on the head of a Buddha statue.

 

They have expressed that a Sinhala daily on September 9, had made a

revelation of a film produced in the US which appears to be highly

defamatory and insulting to the Buddha and the Sasana revered by the

people of the world as well as this country.

 

They had urged that steps be taken to avoid this type of disastrous

anti-Buddhist campaigns. If no effective steps are taken, serious

repercussions would follow.

 

The Mahanayake Theras have requested the President to take up this

matter with the relevant authorities by informing the permanent Sri

Lankan Representative in the United States with the assistance of the

Buddhist world.

 

Copies of the letter have also been sent to the Prime Minister,

Minister of Buddha Sasana, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the US

Ambassador.

--- End forwarded message ---