The Movement of Restoring Film Industry in Cambodia by Teng Athipanha

Introduction

Film, as a source of entertainment and escapism, has played a crucial role throughout history. It serves beyond mere enjoyment, aiding in reconciling with the past, preserving traditions, and expressing national identity. During the twentieth century, the introduction of film in Southeast Asia varied across countries, primarily through colonial contact driven by various European powers, which significantly impacted the film industry. It has brought the introduction of technology to Southeast Asia, which marked the inception of a local film industry. Films began to incorporate local languages, music, settings, and actors, gradually gaining popularity among the local audience (Ang, 2021).  Despite initial developments, certain countries experienced downfall periods that erased progress. Cambodia, notably affected by the painful political history of the Khmer Rouge invasion, faced considerable challenges, including the film business.

The industry, which started in the 1950s and flourished during the “golden age” of the 1960s, suffered a severe blow after the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge, with many films stolen, destroyed, or lost. As a result of the lack of dynamism, the road to reconstructing the film industry has been very challenging.

Nevertheless, there has been recent growth in the film industry. Many filmmakers have striven to produce films of excellent quality from a technical aspect and conceptual standpoint, where they have explored new creative areas and a wider range of plots. This effort has been a great step thus far; even though there have been difficulties, there is still a lot of hope for the process of reviving the golden age.

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how Cambodia’s film industry has evolved over the years amidst challenges and opportunities. It will examine the history and efforts to revive it, along with the difficulties faced along the way, highlighting the industry’s significant steps toward a comeback.

Body

As mentioned earlier, colonial interactions played a pivotal role in introducing film to Southeast Asia. This marked a significant turning point in the regional film industry, facilitating the emergence of cinema and fostering a sense of local identity (Ang, 2021). For instance, films began to incorporate local languages, settings, and another cultural component (Ang, 2021). Like other countries in the region, Cambodia transformed cinema into a medium that resonated personally with audiences. This transformation ushered in the ‘Golden Era’ from the 1950s to the 1960s This era is defined by a period of remarkable significance and success, with its understanding deeply rooted in the accomplishments of that time within the industry.

The emergence of this era can be attributed to colonial contact. Furthermore, the contributions of pioneering filmmakers also play important role, including Roeum Phon, Eav Ponnakar, and Som Sam Al (Raksmey, 2023). These filmmakers, pursued their studies abroad, and had involved in the creation of the early Cambodian-produced films (Raksmey, 2023). According to Borak, many of these narratives incorporated with Khmer folktales, such as Puthisean Neang Kong Rey or the legend of Chao Srotop Chek (Raksmey, 2023).

Unfortunately, this era was short-lived due to the devastating Khmer Rouge invasion, which inflicted widespread harm, including the film industry. Many important social figures, including actors and filmmakers from the 1960s and 1970s, were killed as a result of their communist ideology and attempts to establish a classless agrarian society. Additionally, a considerable number of film and prints were lost, stolen, or destroyed during this period.  Therefore, the industry has to rebuild from scratch, journey which fraught with challenges. After the Khmer Rouge regime was overthrown, the industry began to slowly recover, with “My Mother is Arb” specifically contributing to the horror genre (Raksmey & Raksmey, 2023). Following that, the VHS became the primary shooting tool for a large number of movies. Even though it made it possible for more production companies to make more films, the drawback became more and more obvious, especially as production values dropped and there were fewer producers with expertise. Moreover, it has also been criticized for its inability to convey its own identity and be engaging due to its struggle and adherence to a predetermined narrative (RICHARDOT, 2013).

Distribution is another challenge, as filmmakers often struggle to recover their production costs due to a poorly structured market and the absence of an established intellectual property policy. Most films are distributed on home video rather than in theaters. VCDs are widely accessible on the market and are less expensive than theater tickets (Richardot, 2013). According to Ung Nareth, president of the Motion Picture Association of Cambodia, purchasing a new DVD at a retail price of even $7 is considered expensive for many Cambodians (Styllis, 2014). Therefore, as the informal market structure expands, it creates the image of the acceptability of the pirate business, which is very harmful to the industry.

Despite these challenges, the industry has seen progressive transformation in recent years, fueled by technological advancements and creative exploration by filmmakers. More filmmaker began to enhancing conceptual perspective and diversifying plotlines. Traditionally, film narratives often centered around genres like romance, horror, comedy, and folktale. In the recent year, however, Cambodia has achieved a milestone by producing its first-ever Sci-Fi film, namely ‘’Karmalink’’. It was collaboration of local filmmaker Sok Visal as a co-producer, who was directed by American Jake Wachtel. It was produced outside of traditional studio systems (Raksmey, 2023). The focus was more on artistic expression and cultural representation through the combination of Buddhist concepts and AI narrative components (Raksmey, 2023). Furthermore, there are also some film production and non-profit organization that has involve and support the new generation of filmmaker as well as fostering talented actor/actress.

  • Anti­Archive is the film productions that has been producing independent films, with the goal of encouraging viewers to rethink the relationship of films and filmmakers with the past and history. Diamond Island, one of their notable film, was premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival Critic’s Week and earned the SACD Prize
  • The Acting Academy is a non-profit organization located in Phnom Penh, providing free training to young Khmer actors. Additionally, they invites expert coaches and lecturers to offer these aspiring actors and actresses the opportunity to explore various acting techniques.

Apart from that, there have been efforts to showcase local films to a global audience. Leak Lyda, the CEO of LD Film Production, noted his initiatives in his work, such as the horror film “12E,” for which they also created an English dubbed version targeting international viewers (Nou, 2023). Besides that, he also recently did a collaboration in the comedy film “Rent Boy” which featured Myanmar actor Paing Takhon alongside Cambodia’s 2022 Miss Grand Cambodia winner, Pich Vatey Saravathy, in the lead female role (Nou, 2023). While it is not the first time Cambodian actors have shared the screen with international stars, this progress shows a growing optimism about the potential for local films to gain exposure on the international stage.

To sum up, in attempt of restoring this sector has revealed a growth potential. It is thanks to the determined efforts of emerging talents, organizations, and filmmakers. What’s more, not only that it raises hopes of a return to the golden era but also going beyond it. Not to mention, with recent collaborations with foreign filmmakers, can bring fresh perspectives that would enhance the industry. This, in turn, has the potential to inspire the next generation of young filmmakers, fostering a brighter future for Cambodian cinema.

 

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Author:

Teng Athipanha (Intern at CESASS UGM)

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