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Pol Pot Dancing

Portraits

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North American Premiere

The son of a farmer, young Saloth Sar was fostered by his brother and sister-in-law, Chea Samy, who was a star dancer at the Cambodian Royal Palace. Known as a kind boy who played the violin, there was no sign that this young man would become the notorious Pol Pot, the brutal dictator and leader of the Khmer Rouge, responsible for the Cambodian genocide which killed 2-million people from 1975 to 1979. The regime specifically targeted intellectuals and artists. This is the story of how Khmer classical dance was nearly decimated in the process, and how one woman single-handedly revived the form.

Featuring archival footage, dance performance, and behind-the-scenes moments with choreographer Sophine Cheam (one of Samy’s pupils), Enrique Sánchez Lansch’s documentary boasts incredible cinematography and stunning sound design. It is a remarkable achievement that sheds new light on one of the darkest moments of history. Not to be missed.

 

Thessaloniki IDFF – Greece 2024, DOK.fest München – Germany 2024

Oct 2 & 4: Q&A with director Enrique Sanchez Lansch

 

Presented by

Media Partner

     

Community Partner

Director
Featuring

Sophiline Cheam Shapiro

Credits
Country of Origin

Germany/Norway

Year

2024

Language

In Central Khmer and English with English subtitles

Film Contact
Links
18+
101 min
Cinemas of Asia Documentary Human Rights & Social Justice Q&As at VIFF
Fruitmarket, Up North, ZDF/ARTE

Book Tickets

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Credits & Director

Producer

Arne Birkenstock, Laryssa Stone

Screenwriter

Enrique Sánchez Lansch

Cinematography

Marcus Winterbauer

Editor

Julia Oehring

Original Music

Christoph Kaiser, Julian Maas

Enrique Sánchez Lansch headshot; Pol Pot Dancing director

Enrique Sánchez Lansch

A trained singer himself, Spanish-German director Enrique Sánchez Lansch often deals with music in his films. His award-winning documentary films include Rhythm Is It! (2004) about 250 dancing teenagers which sold 650,000 tickets in German theatres, The Reichsorchester (2007) on the Berlin Philharmonic in Nazi Germany, Piano Encounters (2010) on a childhood at the piano, and recently A Symphony of Noise (2021) about musician, music producer and activist Matthew Herbert.

Filmography: Rhythm Is It! (2004); The Reichsorchester (2007); The Promise of Music (2008); Inside the Uffizi (2020); A Symphony of Noise (2021)

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