''A Cambodian Spring'' is a 2017 British
documentary film directed and produced by Christopher Kelly, focusing on a conflict over plans to develop the
Boeung Kak
Boeung Kak ( km, បឹងកក់) is an area in Khan Daun Penh and Khan Toul Kork centrally located in the capital city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. Until around 2010, it was covered by the largest urban lake in Phnom Penh. Residential areas ...
lake in the
Cambodian capital of
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh (; km, ភ្នំពេញ, ) is the capital and most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since the French protectorate of Cambodia and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its economic, indus ...
. The film was premiered at the Hot Docs festival in
Toronto,
Canada in May 2017. It was released theatrically in the United Kingdom and Ireland on May 18, 2018.
Synopsis
The film chronicles the struggle to prevent the development of the lake by the government backed and
World Bank funded
Shukaku Inc.
Shukaku Inc. is a private development company based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It is headed by Senator Lau Meng Khin from the Cambodian People's Party and chairman of the Cambodian Chamber of Commerce , which would involve filling the lake with sand and evicting the families who live around it. Spurning the offered compensation, locals protest the development, led by three activists: the Buddhist monk The Venerable Luon Sovath, and housing activists, Toul Srey Pov and Tep Vanny.
Critical response
On
review aggregator website
Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 95% based on 20 reviews, and an average rating of 7.4/10. Writing in
Time Out
Time-out, Time Out, or timeout may refer to:
Time
* Time-out (sport), in various sports, a break in play, called by a team
* Television timeout, a break in sporting action so that a commercial break may be taken
* Timeout (computing), an enginee ...
, Phil de Semlyen wrote "For all its sombre revelations, 'A Cambodian Spring' exudes a powerful sense of possibility.".
It was nominated for
outstanding Debut by a British, Writer, Director or Producer at the
2019 BAFTAs.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was composed by electronic music producer
James Holden and released on his own Border Community label.
See also
*
Shukaku Inc.#Boeung Kak lake development
References
External links
*
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cambodian Spring
2016 films
British documentary films
2016 documentary films
2010s English-language films
2010s British films