Documentary update...

Back in June, I highlighted an in-progress documentary film, Rain Falls From Earth, that will feature personal interviews with Cambodian holocaust survivors such as artist Vann Nath, ballet dancer Em Theay and Teeda Butt-Mam, all of whom I've featured individually in my blog in the last few months. The film, directed by Steve McClure, is currently in post-production and nearing completion, and has just secured the services of Oscar, Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actor, Sam Waterston, as the film's narrator. It was Waterston who made such a dramatic impact in his portrayal of the reporter Sydney Schanberg in the acclaimed movie, The Killing Fields. He also served 18 years on the board of Refugees International. We can expect the film's release to be early in 2007.

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Another documentary, Remnants: An Excerpt of Time, is a concise history of contemporary Cambodian issues ranging from the genocide of the '70s to the continuous devastating effects of it today. Shot on location in various provinces of Cambodia, the film poetically explores both its governmental and economic hypocrisies as well as its cultural and diverse beauty. New Yorker Talissa, who completed the film in May this year, is currently looking for opportunities to screen the film publicly at festivals, film venues, etc. You can find out more about her eclectic work here.