By Poch Reasey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Park City, Utah
30 January 2010
‘Enemies of the People’ is a new documentary film being shown for the first time in North America at the Sundance Film Festival 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah (from January 21 to 31).
In the documentary ‘Enemies of the People’, former Khmer Rouge leader, Nuon Chea, known as Brother Number Two, for the first time gives details how he and Pol Pot decided to kill party members they considered to be ‘Enemies of the People’.
Thet Sambath, the journalist who produced the 93-minute film, says he met with Nuon Chea on the weekends for five years before Mr. Nuon agreed to give testimony.
“One day he told me the truth.” Said Sambath. “He said that he had observed me for many years and had realized that I am honest and not biased toward any side.So he said from now on he could tell me all the decisions he and Pol Pol had made.”
Sambath says he spent 10 years making the documentary to find out more about the deaths of nearly 2 million people in Cambodia, people that included his parents and siblings.
Rob Lemkin co-produced the documentary.He says viewers will decide if they Nuon Chea is telling the truth.
“Whether you believe him or not,” says Lemkin, “ it’s very important that he should be allowed to give his version of events so that future generations can make a decision about what they think about these events.”
Like millions of Khmer Rouge victims, Sambath says he has suffered emotional trauma for years.However he says he feels much better once he understand the Khmer Rouge’s policy.
“It’s precisely these sufferings that had pushed me to find the truth behind all the killings during the Khmer Rouge’s regime.” Says Sambath. “ Now that I know what had happened behind the scene, I feel liberated.I don’t have any remorse anymore.”
John Cooper is the Director of the yearly Sundance Film Festival for independent filmmakers, held this year in Park City, Utah. On the festival’s opening day, Mr. Cooper praised Sambath’s courage in making the documentary.
“This film is both frightening and mesmerizing at the same time.” Says Cooper. “ It’s such a fresh approach.It couldn’t have been told until now because nobody was willing to go there yet.And this film has waited out.I think every weekend he went and shot until finally these people broke down and started talking to him.It’s an incredible story and story changes lives.”
Robert Redford is the founder of the Sundance Film Festival.He told VOA Khmer he has not seen “Enemies of the People” but praises the filmmakers’ effort.
“What I like about it is that that goes further and deeper in by a journalist to explore what was behind the Killing Fields.” Says Redford. “We heard about the Killing Fields in that film.But to cover the untold story, that’s what always interest me.What’s beneath the story?You think you know? And I think this is another example of that that goes deeper into the situation and therefore break new ground, therefore there’s new information.”
During the decade he spent meeting with Nuon Chea, Sambath also found the people who actually carried out the executions.He had to spend years meeting and talking to them before he could convince them to speak.
Sam Ratha is a Cambodian-American living in Salt Lake City, Utah. He’s among the first Cambodians to see the documentary. He says he is glad to hear Nuon Chea speak.
“He told the truth so that the younger generation know what he has done in the past.” Says Ratha. “Those who are committing this crime should know that one day they will have remorse.While in power you can do anything you want, but don’t forget that in the future you will end up like Nuon Chea.”
Park City’s cold, winter weather did not stop a woman from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and a young man from Canada from coming to Sundance.
“I had seen the ‘Killing Fields’ but I didn’t know what the film was going to be about.It’s very interesting how he went in to interview the people and who the people were.I guess I understand now when the Cambodian people say they want to forgive and to make peace with the people who did the killings.”
“It’s extremely powerful. I was in Cambodia 2 years ago for 3 weeks. I saw the killling fields. That really struck me deep.”
“Enemies of the People” is among 12 documentaries selected from over seven hundred submissions from around the world at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in Utah.
In the documentary ‘Enemies of the People’, former Khmer Rouge leader, Nuon Chea, known as Brother Number Two, for the first time gives details how he and Pol Pot decided to kill party members they considered to be ‘Enemies of the People’.
Thet Sambath, the journalist who produced the 93-minute film, says he met with Nuon Chea on the weekends for five years before Mr. Nuon agreed to give testimony.
“One day he told me the truth.” Said Sambath. “He said that he had observed me for many years and had realized that I am honest and not biased toward any side.So he said from now on he could tell me all the decisions he and Pol Pol had made.”
Sambath says he spent 10 years making the documentary to find out more about the deaths of nearly 2 million people in Cambodia, people that included his parents and siblings.
Rob Lemkin co-produced the documentary.He says viewers will decide if they Nuon Chea is telling the truth.
“Whether you believe him or not,” says Lemkin, “ it’s very important that he should be allowed to give his version of events so that future generations can make a decision about what they think about these events.”
Like millions of Khmer Rouge victims, Sambath says he has suffered emotional trauma for years.However he says he feels much better once he understand the Khmer Rouge’s policy.
“It’s precisely these sufferings that had pushed me to find the truth behind all the killings during the Khmer Rouge’s regime.” Says Sambath. “ Now that I know what had happened behind the scene, I feel liberated.I don’t have any remorse anymore.”
John Cooper is the Director of the yearly Sundance Film Festival for independent filmmakers, held this year in Park City, Utah. On the festival’s opening day, Mr. Cooper praised Sambath’s courage in making the documentary.
“This film is both frightening and mesmerizing at the same time.” Says Cooper. “ It’s such a fresh approach.It couldn’t have been told until now because nobody was willing to go there yet.And this film has waited out.I think every weekend he went and shot until finally these people broke down and started talking to him.It’s an incredible story and story changes lives.”
Robert Redford is the founder of the Sundance Film Festival.He told VOA Khmer he has not seen “Enemies of the People” but praises the filmmakers’ effort.
“What I like about it is that that goes further and deeper in by a journalist to explore what was behind the Killing Fields.” Says Redford. “We heard about the Killing Fields in that film.But to cover the untold story, that’s what always interest me.What’s beneath the story?You think you know? And I think this is another example of that that goes deeper into the situation and therefore break new ground, therefore there’s new information.”
During the decade he spent meeting with Nuon Chea, Sambath also found the people who actually carried out the executions.He had to spend years meeting and talking to them before he could convince them to speak.
Sam Ratha is a Cambodian-American living in Salt Lake City, Utah. He’s among the first Cambodians to see the documentary. He says he is glad to hear Nuon Chea speak.
“He told the truth so that the younger generation know what he has done in the past.” Says Ratha. “Those who are committing this crime should know that one day they will have remorse.While in power you can do anything you want, but don’t forget that in the future you will end up like Nuon Chea.”
Park City’s cold, winter weather did not stop a woman from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and a young man from Canada from coming to Sundance.
“I had seen the ‘Killing Fields’ but I didn’t know what the film was going to be about.It’s very interesting how he went in to interview the people and who the people were.I guess I understand now when the Cambodian people say they want to forgive and to make peace with the people who did the killings.”
“It’s extremely powerful. I was in Cambodia 2 years ago for 3 weeks. I saw the killling fields. That really struck me deep.”
“Enemies of the People” is among 12 documentaries selected from over seven hundred submissions from around the world at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in Utah.
15 comments:
I just google and notice that 95% of Cambodian males is gay, 60% of them has a small dick, so they chose to work as whores for the White farang to bang their ass to get a life. If you are a Cambodian and has a bad time with your tiny dick, please consider us at:
www.samrainsysmalldick.com.us
Very well said 5:43. I can't disagree with the description of yourself. Now go f a dog.
Khmer Rouge was just a horrible history to the Khmer people. Now we have Khmer Rouge II is worst than any thing on earth. All Khmer people will be suffering and dying by them self with no help and support until Cambodia is gone under Vietnamese planned Silent Holocaust in Cambodia.
You can tell every day living in Cambodia is getting harder to survive with no jobs available and no land to farmers. New Tax Laws are going to make all Khmer people become homeless and starving to death. That is a Silence Holocaust by the Vietnamese.
This toilet viet has no brain.
This skinny viet might come again and bark louder. But I'll hit it again and again tirelessly.
This Viet is a toilet germ but can bark the same voice like a dog. Flush this toilet germ the skinny viet.
This Viet is a toilet germ but can bark the same voice like a dog. Flush this toilet germ the skinny viet.
This Viet is a toilet germ but can bark the same voice like a dog. Flush this toilet germ the skinny viet.
Its head is fatally hit
and it will soon die a horrible death.
5:43 is another loser who has nothing better to do for himself.
5:43 AM
A by pass to clean your stinky brain.
The ennemi of Buddha are Communist Ho,Mao and Sihanouk.After 2 543 687 were killed ,khmer need peace,Independence and Real Justice.
Don't use the name of Buddha for your comment.
Hey 5:43AM I have just realized that the google site you have been searching is the one eye of Hun Sen in the cartoon. No wonder that you see the same thing and post the same thing. Common man! get real, go to the goggle that everyone use these days and I guaranty you will see lots and lots in the world.
3:36pm
look the Buddha of Sihanouk
http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2010/02/samdech-norodom-sihanouk-was-root-caise.html
I will see this documentary.
I think that it will not change anything.
Nuon Chea followed Pol Pot.
They would change Cambodian society. The goal was very good.
BUT they were incompetent. They did not know how to realize their dream.
Destroy is easy but build is very difficult.
These men have nothing to be proud of.
They do not deserve to be forgiven.
Red cannot be blue.
When you killed you are killer.
Your family members must not pay their lives for the errors of Pol Pot and Nuon Chea. These two men are just two idiots.
When you want to build a bridge, you hire egineers not idiots.
To the sissy faggot '5:43' am from Bang-Cock:
We do not need to google...based on facts, we know that a majority of you Thai Lady-boiz are GAY with small dicks and like suck on White men's "Farang" or "ฝรั่ง" dicks and swallow their sweet cum. Cambodian men are very handsome, muscular and shapely unlike your ugly ass ancestors from Nanchao, China. You are certainly not successful in stirring problems on KI bloggs. I suggest you do it on your stupid "BANG-COCK POST" OR "NATION" newspapers!
Check on these funny hilarious videos: "Made in Thailand" "ผลิตในเมืองไทย" 555555 :)~~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjHGVqygtdU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGYlbEYbl8g&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WOtqqNudIY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZ4kYyT7mME&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkISq_nHURo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpwPxDS4jIw&feature=related
--Khmer Surin
--ชาวแขมร์จังหวัดสุรินทร์
Loke Thet Sambat,I my self the victim of that regime would like to say thanks you from the bottom of my
heart for your courages and your consisting patient to make this happen, Keep up you are my hero my idol.
God bless for your good jobs
khmer express
My view just another conspiracy theory ever heard of the grand canal? During Sui dynasty? I thought POL POT wanted to built a DAM ON MEKONG RIVER TO STOP RIVER TO FLOW INTO VIETNAM AND REDIRECT THE RIVER SOUTH TO HELP UTILIZE CROP PRODUCTION. FURIOUS VIETNAMESE SAW THE PLOT THAT IT COULD RUIN VIETNAM WITHOUT OUT LIFTING A FINGER. SO THEY PLOT PLAN TO KILL ALL CAMBODIAN EAST OF MEKONG RIVER. THAT IS JUST A THEORY THERE ARE MORE!
SOME BELIEVE IT WAS TO COVER UP YOU KNOW CAMBODIA SECRET SOCIETY!
I GUESS ONLY I DO THAT STUPID RESEARCH ABOUT UFO's AND ALIENS...I EVEN THOUGHT THE KILLING FIELD WAS TO COVER UP FOR IT TOO. WEIRD THEORY? JUST DUMB THEORY!
MY FAMILY SAW UFOs in during 1975-1979. LIVED NEXT TO SOME LADY WHO DON'T LOOK HUMAN! WEIRD FROGS AND SO ON.... AGAIN JUST DUMB I GUESS. MADE CONNECTION WITH ALIENS KEEPING FRIENDSHIP...ECT. I THOUGHT MY PARENTS WERE IN THE WRONG ZONE....MAYBE POL POT ERA OVER DID ON THEM THEY JUST TELLING ME STORIES...
THESE FILM MAKES MORE SENSE.
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