Recalling the horrors of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia – no
time to forget
“First they killed my father”, a biographical drama directed by Angelina Jolie and based
on the book with the same name written by Loung Ung was released on September 15
of 2017.
The film begins in 1975 in the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Pehn where 7 year old
Loung (Sareum Srey Moch) lives with her family. The father worked for the
government which allowed her family to live a stable life but all of that changes when
the Khmer Rouge-a communist guerrilla organization- invades Phnom Pehn forcing
Loung’s family and many others to leave their houses for fear of being killed. The
family ends up in an agricultural work camp and are eventually separated.
Even though it´s simple the movie is at the same time strong and shocking not just
because of the images of violence but also because it shows us through the eyes of a
child the horror that she is living, which I believe was a very smart move of the
production team. We can feel her fear when her dad is taken by the communist forces
and we can see her confusion when she is forced to leave her life behind.
Another thing that I need to point out is the fact that this movie doesn´t have a lot of
dialogue, giving the viewer the opportunity to focus on the details of the scenery and
on the expressions of the actors (that truth be told gave this film the depth) and live
this film in a more personal way. This being, in my opinion, one of the most remarkable
things about “First they killed my father”.
The film keeps you glued to the screen and the viewer will go through some heart-
breaking moments like the one where Loung’s older sister dies due to hunger and the
only thing that Loung hopes is that her sister never returns to that place or the final
sequence of the film where we are given a cruel war scene.
The movie is powerful. It needs to be because it shows us the cruel reality of the
victims and survivors of Cambodia and of many people that are living in a similar way.
It should be watched with respect because it won´t let us forget the atrocities that
human beings are capable of.
In conclusion despite the dark emotion that a majority of the film conveys this is a
must watch that makes us learn or remember about one of the worst genocides of the
20th century that killed over 25% of the Cambodia population.
Mariana Vaz