- Title: CAMBODIA: NEW GENERATION OF CAMBODIAN FILM MAKERS HOPE TO ACHIEVE POPULAR SUCCESS
- Date: 1st July 2001
- Summary: PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (MAY 21, 2000) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, KING SIHANOUK WAVING TO PEOPLE. (2 SHOTS)
- Embargoed: 16th July 2001 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: KOMPONG CHAM PROVINCE/PHNOM PHEM, CAMBODIA
- Country: Cambodia
- Topics: Business,General,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA40T6IE2OHVHRHMUIJV1YGH7P5
- Story Text: A new generation of Cambodian film makers is hoping to bring the impoverished country out of the shadow of its recent history by capturing on celluloid centuries-old feats of glory.
This 15th century battle between invading Thais and the Cambodians led by Dom Dim, is currently being filmed in Kompong Cham Province in Cambodia.
The colourful movie features hundreds of sword-wielding Cambodian and Thai soldiers fighting on horseback and led by elephants.
The 100,000 U.S dollar film is expected to finish shooting at the end of June and will be ready for release by the end of the year.
"This is an historic film in which a Cambodian army chief called Dekchordomdin, has full power to lead the army to fight the Thais. We are making this film to show the younger generation, the bravery of the Cambodian Army,' said director Sak Sithon.
Sak Sithon directs this movie and Kun Daravann is one of the leading actors.
"I represent one of the Cambodian army commanders that lead the army to fight with the Thais," said Kun Daravan.
Kun Daravan and Sak Sithon belong to a new generation of Cambodian filmmakers and actors hoping to bring the impoverished country out of the shadow of its recent history by capturing on celluloid centuries-old feats of glory.
The once-thriving Cambodian film industry, was wiped out when the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975.
The radical communist group's leader, Pol Pot, harboured particular disdain for intellectuals and artists.
His reign of fear was the subject of the 1984 British production "The Killing Fields", the most famous film to be made about Cambodia.
"During the 1970's, our films were very good. We had more than 30 cinemas and only one TV station. We made about 100 films to show in the cinemas. In the provincial towns we had at least three cinemas. Neighbouring countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Laos could not compete with the Cambodian film industry. Our big film productions were "Dararath" (State Star) and "Boreithansour"(Bird of Heaven).So there were Cambodian films available on the international market," said Sam Sokoun, director of Ministry of Culture's cinema department.
Cambodia's most prominent film maker at that time was King Norodom Sihanouk.
The then Prince Sihanouk made nine dramas in the 1960s.
When the Khmer Rouge were overthrown in early 1979 by Vietnamese forces, who occupied the country for 10 years, Cambodia's market opened up to foreign films - mostly from fellow communist countries.
As the country began to emerge from war and move toward democracy and a free--market economy in the 1990s, Cambodians began to clamour for homegrown films.
Now the movie industry is starting to make a comeback.
Foreign films such as "Tomb Raider" starring Angelina Jolie and Matt Dillion's "Beneath the Banyan Trees" were shot in the country.
But it's not an easy task for the country's film industry.
Cambodia has only one movie theatre, there are no copyright laws that would protect legitimate film productions and a thriving piracy industry.
Despite the odds, many in Cambodia are hopeful that the re-birth of the country's film industry will help the country restore its cultural heritage.
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