Thai juvenile prison screening Amy docu for troubled teens
LONDON: A Thai juvenile detention centre is hoping to change the lives of young offenders by showing them Asif Kapadia’s acclaimed Amy Winehouse documentary.
Officials from the Thai Health Promotion Foundation and the Stop Drink Network gathered 100 young male offenders, university students and youth groups together in Bangkok to screen Amy, reported The Guardian. An official from the Stop Drink Network expressed hope that Winehouse’s harrowing story will convince teenage drug and violence offenders to turn their lives around.
“I think Amy’s story is a real story that reflects real problems in the society, especially among teenagers,” organisation spokesperson Kamron Chudecha said.
“When Amy felt too much pressured, she acted out and started drinking, but she was gifted and she found that gift. It’s not too late for the students to find their gifts and learn from her mistakes.
“When one hits rock bottom, it takes a lot of courage to fight the loneliness and criticism, like when Amy has to fight the media attention and people around her. Amy lost the battle, but these kids still have a chance,” Chudecha said.
This Amy screening was the latest instalment of a continuing policy for young offenders to examine consequences of their actions through movies and books.
Amy chronicled the rise and tragic fall of Winehouse, one of pop music’s rising stars before her passing in 2011. Kapadia’s documentary was released in the UK this year to positive critical reviews, though the singer’s family is less enthusiastic.