Chiang Mai activists forced to cancel '1984' screening

Khaosod English reported on Monday that a senior police officer has forced an art gallery in Chiang Mai province to call off a screening of "1984," the film based on George Orwell’s classic dystopian novel about a society living under an oppressive authoritarian regime. 

The screening was organised by a local cinophile group, the "Punya Movie Club," and was scheduled to take place in “room 101" of the gallery on Sirimangkalajarn Road this Saturday, the poster of the event advertised. 
 
However, a police lieutenant colonel called the gallery owners and persuaded them to cancel the event, said founder of Punya Movie Club, Bodin Theparat. 
 
Bodin said he and other organisers discussed the matter and concluded that the police may show up at the event and use "any excuse" to stop the screening. They decided to cancel the event out of consideration for the gallery owners, who are not involved in politics, and for movie-goers who might end up being prosecuted by authorities. 

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