Golden Reawakening

1960's Cambodian film festival and exhibition

From 1960 to 1975, Cambodian film studios produced more than 350 films and there were about 30 movie theatres in Phnom Penh. Today, only 33 films remain available. Lux Theatre is the last surviving movie theatre. Only a few directors and film stars survived the Khmer Rouge Regime. This event will introduce the golden era of Cambodian films through biographies, photos and posters of the greatest actors, filmmakers and films. This special event serves as a link between generations and brings together a number of surviving directors and film stars from 1960 to 1975 with many talented young artists from today’s art scene. More than 20 Cambodian artists have created paintings, photographs, drawings and an architectural model based on fragmented memories and limited documentation. During the festival, 11 films from this golden period will be screened with commentaries from legendary filmmakers Ly Bun Yim, Yvon Hem and Ly You Sreang and the legendary film star Dy Saveth. The organizers are honored to receive permission from HM King-Father Norodom Sihanouk to screen his film “Twilight” (1968) which HM has chosen for the festival. The 11 films include masterpieces “Twelve sisters” by Ly Bun Yim and “The Snake Man” by Tea Lim Koun (who many of us have lost touch with and we have discovered him alive in Canada three weeks ago). Kon Khmer Koun Khmer recently produced “The Twin Diamonds” screened at Lux cinema earlier this month, and is led by Davy Chou, a young French filmmaker whose grandfather, Van Chann, was one of the greatest film producers in Cambodia in the 1960s. The exhibition will open every day at 3:00 PM and the films (free entrance) will be screened at 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Special guests Mr. Ly Bun Yim and Mrs. Dy Saveth will attend the opening.

As part of the ongoing 1960's cambodian film festival at the Chinese House, we have the honour to receive permission from HM King-Father Norodom Sihanouk to screen his film “Twilight” which His Majesty has chosen for the festival.

About the movie: Prince Adit lives alone in Siem Reap. Because of his malaria, he is nursed by a young girl whose name is Sopheap. Indian Princess Maya Maharani, who was invited to Cambodian Independence Day, visits the prince at Angkor. The prince accompanies her to visit Angkor temples and they recall the first time they met. The lonely prince and the widowed princess can talk about their love freely without hesitation. But Miss Sopheap steals the prince’s heart...

Khmer, English subtitles

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