Same Same But Different is a 2010 German drama film starring German actor David Kross and Thai actress Apinya Sakuljaroensuk - (www.samesame-themovie.com photo)

Thai actress Apinya Sakuljaroensuk stars as Sreykeo in Same Same But Different - (Wisekwai photo)

Video Beat - SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

Same Same But Different is a script that portrays in film Benjamin Prüfer's 2006 article which was published in a magazine and later as a novel in 2007 about a German boy who falls in love with a Khmer prostitute. After their relationship began she becomes ill and upon his insistence she visits a doctor and finds that she is HIV positive

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

When we first reviewed the film Same Same But Different in 2011 we couldn't suggest how one could view or purchase it. The film first premiered at the 62nd Locarno International Film Festival on 13 August 2009.

We first saw the film at a screening at an NGO in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and the management had no suggestions how anyone could purchase or view the movie. Now thanks to technology it is available on You Tube, Google Play and iTunes.

Same Same But Different is a script that portrays Benjamin Prüfer's 2006 article which was published in a magazine and later as a novel in 2007 about a German boy who falls in love with a Khmer prostitute. After their relationship began she becomes ill and upon his insistence she visits a doctor and finds that she is HIV positive.

While traveling back and forth between Germany and Cambodia he finds himself more attached to the girl and wants to save her while buying her medicine and trying to convince her to take it and visit the doctor. He bends over backwards and then realizes that money is king and her family thinks he's a rich foreigner.

Throughout the rich boy image process he is asked if he would build a home for her family. Her mother takes advantage when she asks $40 for food. He later sees her gambling away the money with her friends.

His German friends and family warn him that she wants marry him. He then informs her that he's not rich and can't continue to give her money. His primary concern is to find medicine to help her fight her HIV infection.

A viewer gets an accurate insight to the Khmer mentality as she is prepared to die and return in her next life. He insists that she fight to live and take medicine that she refuses to do so.

At one point while at a company dinner, she confronts and embarrasses him in front of his business associates and reveals to them that she is a prostitute and he doesn't want to marry her. At that point he feels his true love for her and decides to leave the company to marry her and live in Cambodia.

The film is based on the true story of Sreykeo Sorvan and Benjamin Prüfer. In the trailer the real life couple is seen with their child currently living in Cambodia.

Although this film is low budget and comes off raw it is effective and moving. The story is familiar, given my experience in Southeast Asian nations. Like the films title it's SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT (countries) with poverty and money being the underlying issue. It's about a poor girl trying to find a foreigner husband and give up being a lady of the night.

The stars of the film are excellent in their roles. David Kross, who stars as the boyfriend also starred with Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes in the film The Reader, renders a convincing performance.

Apinya, also known as Saiparn was only 19 when the film began production. The Thai actress worked overtime to prepare for the film applying herself to study English everyday for 3 hours and Khmer for 2 hours and even dubbed the movie in German.

This film is a must see. It truly depicts the plight of the poor in Cambodia who have very few choices as they try to survive which in too many cases leads to prostitution or the selling of their children into the business.

SIDE NOTE:

I met two foreigners in Thailand 20 years ago. One met a bar girl from Issan. She took him to visit her family and they convinced him to purchase a $40,000 tractor for them. The foreigner was not rich.

LINKS

https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/same-same-but-different/id892946327 = $7.99 BUY or $3.99 RENT

https://play.google.com/store/movies/details?id=CYhjQwISoEY - GOES TO TRAILER AND - YOU TUBE

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