AFP
PHNOM PENH - CAMBODIA'S first-ever movie featuring a taboo lesbian love story has been a surprising hit during its first week in theatres, the film's writer said on Thursday.
Phoan Phuong Bopha said the two-hour 'Who Am I?' about a Cambodian-American woman infatuated with a famous Cambodian actress has so far attracted some 4,000 viewers - a blockbuster for the country's tiny movie industry.
'This film have been successful beyond our expectations while the film industry has declined. This film draws great attention,' Phoan Phuong Bopha said.
The movie tells the tale of two women falling in love over a series of long-distance telephone conversations, with the Cambodian-American travelling to Cambodia to meet the star, she said.
But the feature ends in tragedy when the man the actress's parents want her to marry tracks the pair down.
'It is a true story of some movie stars,' said Phoan Phuong Bopha, adding that she wrote the film to raise awareness of discrimination against lesbians.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in 2007 publicly announced that he was disowning his adopted daughter because she was a lesbian.
Cambodia's film industry has been battered by declining audiences, forcing many theatres to close over the past few years.
Phoan Phuong Bopha said the two-hour 'Who Am I?' about a Cambodian-American woman infatuated with a famous Cambodian actress has so far attracted some 4,000 viewers - a blockbuster for the country's tiny movie industry.
'This film have been successful beyond our expectations while the film industry has declined. This film draws great attention,' Phoan Phuong Bopha said.
The movie tells the tale of two women falling in love over a series of long-distance telephone conversations, with the Cambodian-American travelling to Cambodia to meet the star, she said.
But the feature ends in tragedy when the man the actress's parents want her to marry tracks the pair down.
'It is a true story of some movie stars,' said Phoan Phuong Bopha, adding that she wrote the film to raise awareness of discrimination against lesbians.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in 2007 publicly announced that he was disowning his adopted daughter because she was a lesbian.
Cambodia's film industry has been battered by declining audiences, forcing many theatres to close over the past few years.
9 comments:
It is every man fantasy to watch two women making love and to have a chance join in is a dream comes true! Like they said two better than one! aahahhahahh
I said "fuck off" 12:55.
i think curiosity is what makes it so popular in cambodia or perhaps anywhere in the world as well.
I'm with you 12:55pm.
Always wanted to join in. Love to have a couple of lesbians who is willing to share their unselfish act. LOL
9:57, are you a lesbian? Is that why you upset?
The film should not have been allowed hadn't the ending been a tragedy. This is not discrimination, be aware!
If gays and lesbians will be allowed to marry each other, then at least three important things must be considered in advance. First is the tradition and societal acceptance; second is the natural law - males to be marrying females and both to produce offsprings; and third is the current Cambodian law on Marriages and Family which expressly prohibits a marriage of the same sex.
Again, it is not discrimination. But if one really desire such homosexual, please go to anywhere which allows this, but not here.
And, a quick comment on Poan Phoung Bopha, I have observed that she has not much knowledge about movie and most of her films are about love, either stupid, non-sense or abnormal love. She has no idea about making a good movie with education. Cambodian film industry needs to improve itself before it can attract viewers.
I welcome any counter-comments.
Raja
Raja,
I completely disagree with you. Gays and lesbians should have the same rights as any other person regarding love and marriage. Who are you to say that they can't do something because you don't agree with it? If I don't agree with you loving a woman, should I be the one to stand in your way and stop you? No, because it wouldn't be right. As for the discrimination part of the argument, it IS discrimination because you have excluded a group of people in order to "suit" your idealistic view of Cambodian society. For your information, things are changing and we all are suppose to work together, gay or not gay or whatever it may. To put this type of stigma on someone is not the way to go. Don't tell someone to go another place just because society hasn't fully understand it yet. If all these gays/lesbians go out of Cambodia and a few of them are left in there, how will the country be educated about this group? My opinion is to spread the knowledge and awareness and promote empathy (not just tolerance). We're suppose to be human beings on this earth to help one another out.
The whole debate about producing offspring with a man/woman is trite. I wish that issue can go away but of course it's on many people's mind. Gays/lesbians CAN produce offspring--they're able to do it. However, they have a different way to do it nowadays. Technology in medicine has helped thousands of people everyday (gay or not) with assisting in reproduction. Also, there can be arrangements in adoption or the likes. Who is to say a family ONLY has to be "flesh and blood?" I thought the true concept of family was "love and care." Anyone can be biologicallly related to someone, but sometimes, these relatives act as if they're not even related to each other and hate each other. So, why can't other types of families be as good? My answer: They can and are surely able to to as good as any other "normal" families.
Think beyond your box, Raja. Things can work out better than you can imagine if you stop worrying about the traditions a bit.
wow great idea and wonderful of understanding of love and life, You're such as the best person who knows what is right and what is wrong and know a lot of love and life. GREAT idea !!!!!!!
in this world if there are lot of ppl like u , the world will be more fresh. coz the best thing is u understanding about the feeling of other ppl not like some ppl just only care about themselves never understand about other ppl feeling.
i support ur ideas and disagree with Raja. he's kinda not open minded if this world have only a few like him the world will be more worst.
if lot of ppl think like RAja there will be a very bad thing for human 's right, coz i think Gay and Lesbian also ppl and they want their love like other straight ppl too, why have to be Woman with Man ??? nth wrong at all the best thing is Two ppl love each other and take care their love coz they not gonna hurt anybody like other straight ppl at all, why dont all of u put urself into that thing, if u love someone but u can't love the one u love what gonna be ??? it's rally hurt already, Gay and Lesbian not disagree with Man love woman why can't man and woman accept Gay and Lesbian?????????????????????????
to Raja !!!!
you said that poan phoung bopha is not much knowledge about movie. it´s mean you have much knowledge about film more than her...I want to laugh when you don´t have anything to show everyone that you better than her and you complained her that she not much knowledge about film. Have you ever direct the film? do you know how difficult it is? have you ever do s.th better than her yet? like educated people by film or commercial...answer is no. you never do s.th better than her...you are not popular than her...so fuck your big mouth off!!
from Gucci !!
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