NBC has reported that the latest installment of The Hunger Games franchise has been banned from Thai cinemas. The act of censorship came after three people were arrested for using the three fingered solute from the film during a speech by coup leader, General Prayuth Chan-ocha. The three fingered solute, as used in The Hunger Games represents resistance to totalitarian rule.
Why were the Hunger Games banned?
Since taking power in Thailand, the coup has prohibited gatherings of five or more people and has begun tightening its grip on media channels including television stations and websites. The similarities between the coup’s actions and the totalitarian Captiol of Panem in ‘The Hunger Games’ were clearly recognized by Thai audiences. The latest installment of the film franchise, Mockingjay: Part 1, deals heavily with themes of propaganda and the use of media to sway public sentiment.
Will Mockingjay be banned in China too?
The film has also encountered issues in China, where the government has delayed premieres, originally planned for November 21. China’s government has been confronted by anti-totalitarian protesters in Hong Kong since September. The opening of Mockingjay: Part 1 has been delayed to an unspecified date in 2015.
Maybe protesters in Thailand and China will take another cue from ‘The Hunger Games’ and attempt to hack their governments’ ever-tightening reigns on the media.