Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung recounts the horrors she suffered as a child under the rule of the deadly Khmer Rouge.Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung recounts the horrors she suffered as a child under the rule of the deadly Khmer Rouge.Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung recounts the horrors she suffered as a child under the rule of the deadly Khmer Rouge.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 9 wins & 29 nominations total
- Self
- (archive footage)
- Self
- (archive footage)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBased on the deadly rule of the Khmer Rouge, a communist inspired movement led by the dictator Pol Pot, under which an estimated 25% of the Cambodian population died from malnutrition, forced labour and mass murder from 1975 until 1979. This historical event is today known as the Cambodian genocide.
- GoofsFrom 1975 to 1979, people had only skin cover their bone due to heavily overwork and starvation. Most of the scenes from movie show people still healthy with no lack of food or nutrient.
- 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 appear to be innocent Cambodians.
Henry Kissinger: [at podium] ... the occasional difficulties in reaching a final solution.
Richard Nixon: What we are doing is to help the Cambodians help themselves. This is *not* an invasion of Cambodia.
French Reporter: The Nixon Doctrine for Southeast Asia appears to have failed. The war that began in Vietnam has now engulfed Cambodia. There is anger and frustration at the US bombings. Thousands of lives lost. Farms and livelihoods destroyed.
- ConnectionsFeatured in 75th Golden Globe Awards (2018)
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.
- Bluewater1986
- Sep 19, 2017
- Permalink
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $24,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime2 hours 16 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1