Lawmakers in predominantly Buddhist Thailand expressed outrage Wednesday over a new U.S. film whose advertisement shows a man seated on the head of a Buddha statue.
The movie, Hollywood Buddha, made by independent filmmaker Philippe Caland, is to be released in a few theaters in California on Sept. 24.
But its promotional art, shown on several Web sites, has set off a storm of protests, with many Thais posting criticisms of Caland _ who directs and stars in the film _ on Internet message boards.
According to Thai belief, touching the head _ the most sacred part of the body _ is considered highly offensive.
The Thai Parliament's House Committee on Religious Affairs and the country's Buddhist Affairs Department joined the fray on Wednesday, urging Caland to review his actions.
"The house committee is demanding that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seek clarification from the filmmaker," said Wichai Chaiwanitchakul, the panel chief.
"The committee will also urge the film board to ban this movie from showing in Thailand," he told reporters.
The director general of Thailand's Buddhist Religion affairs, police Col. Udom Charoen, said he has requested the foreign ministry to lodge an official protest and to ask Caland to review his poster.
"I think the filmmaker will realize that such an action will only damage his business. How will Christians feel if people from other religions sit on the head of Jesus Christ," Udom said.
"Hollywood Buddha" is about a struggling Hollywood producer who rents a Buddha statue at the behest of a Buddhist friend who believes it will bring him luck in reviving an un-saleable feature film.
Caland, who produced, directed, wrote and acted in the movie, has produced three other movies. Hollywood Buddha won the Best Picture and Best Director awards this year at the Taos Vision Quest International Film Festival in Taos, New Mexico.
On Wednesday, a Yahoo message board about the film was awash with protests.
"If you did this to any other religion it would be an outrage. As it is, many Buddhists are unhappy with you. We would like you to acknowledge that the content of the movie is false, and apologize to Buddhists around the world," said one message signed by a Sri Lankan identified as Thiwankaw.
"Please stop disgracing Lord Buddha and his teachings, the greatest ever born on earth. This is crime," said another posting.