First They Killed My Father (2017)

Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung recounts the horrors she suffered as a child under the rule of the deadly Khmer Rouge.

Director:

Angelina Jolie

Writers:

Loung Ung (screenplay by), Angelina Jolie (screenplay by)

Stars:

Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 9 wins & 25 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Sareum Srey Moch	...	Loung Ung
Phoeung Kompheak	...	Pa Ung
Sveng Socheata	...	Ma Ung
Mun Kimhak	...	Kim
Heng Dara	...	Meng
Khoun Sothea	...	Khouy
Sarun Nika	...	Geak
Run Malyna	...	Chaou
Oun Srey Neang	...	Keav
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Horm Chhora
Henry Kissinger	...	Himself (archive footage)
Richard Nixon	...	Himself (archive footage)
Mony Ros	...	(as Ros Mony)
Tharoth Sam	...	Khmer Rouge Leader
Nout Sophal	...	(as Nuth Sophal)

Storyline

In the 70's, a Cambodian middle-class girl sees the lives of her family and her turning upside-down when the Khmer Rouge invades the Cambodia. They leave their comfortable apartment and lifestyle to live in a primitive working camp. Her father, a former officer, is killed and the family splits to survive.

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Plot Keywords:

genocide | communism | communist utopia | crime against humanity | mass murder | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

TV-MA

Details

Country:

Cambodia USA

Language:

Khmer English French

Release Date:

15 September 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers

Filming Locations:

Cambodia

Box Office

Budget:

$24,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Netflix, Bophana Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

136 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

More than 500 Cambodian craftspeople and technicians were employed during the production. They comprised the largest portion of the crew. Additionally, more than 3500 Cambodian background actors and extras were recruited for specific scenes. Many Cambodian crew members, actors and extras were survivors or children of survivors of the genocide.

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Goofs

When Luong is watching three men carrying a body on a stretcher, the body has its chest uncovered but in the next scene is covered by a red-and-white piece of cloth.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Richard Nixon: [on broadcast TV] Cambodia, a small country of 7 million people, has been a neutral nation since the Geneva agreement of 1954. American policy since then has been to scrupulously respect the neutrality of the Cambodian people.
British Reporter: [standing with troops] The Vietnamese armies on the south side of the river appear to be indifferent to the contest.
Cambodian Politician: Under the pretext that there is a war necessity, they come into Cambodia.
Field Reporter: Are you glad to be in Cambodia?
Soldier: Negative. No.
Radio Reporter: The principle casualties...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in 75th Golden Globe Awards (2018)

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Soundtracks

Alfred Santos
written and Performed by Robin Foster, published by Upton Park Music Publishing

User Reviews

Not sure what people want from movie

The film is Netflix polished with breathtaking scenes and a suspenseful atmosphere. The story is based on truth from a 7 year old girls perspective during the rise of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.

Scenes of family survival and the horrors of war hold up well and should be of delight to anyone interested in the politics that engulfed South East Asia during the 1970's.

The dialogue in the movie is very basic but I'm left to wonder whether that was the intention as the story is from a small child's perspective trying to make sense of her surroundings.

There is very little in character development or details on what is actually happening politically in the movie in most scenes.

I would recommend people read into the Khmer Rouge before watching as it would make a more enjoyable movie experience, paying particular attention as the why Western Allied Nations supported such a brutal regime after the fall of Vietnam to the Communists.

God bless to all those in Cambodia that lived and died through this troubled time, great movie and certainly brought regular tears to my eyes.