Film stock for Cambodia Documentary Research Trip

For our new film Cat's Tale we are spending April in Cambodia to learn about Em’s mother/land and the livelihoods of the Khmer (Cambodian) people since the 1980’s. On this trip, we will produce a short docufiction essay film to fund a feature-length documentary. Funds from GoFundMe will go to 2,000ft (1 hour) of 16mm film stock and 3 weeks of transportation. We are also seeking producers and contributors for the project and 16mm film stock donations.

(Em and Ryan- Director / Producers)

(2001)

Em’s goals:

(2022)

(2001)

Em:

I have been waiting many years to visit this place that I supposedly come from. Although I don’t speak the language, I hope to practice with my family who lives along the Mekong River in Prey Vey. A big part of this project is my exploration of the subjective discrepancies in language mis/understandings, especially between diasporic children and immigrant elders. Especially from stories of war, changing livelihoods, transforming cultures, assimilation, resistance to exploitation, resistance to colonialism, and understandings of imperialism. We’ll be visiting on Khmer New Year, and hope to talk with my family and rural communities in the Prey Vey, Battambang, and Siem Reap provinces.

I am very interested in the relationships of people to each other, their relationships to the changing landscape (the land and economy), and especially the river. My curiosity about this place is both personal and political as I hope to understand how Khmer people have been dealing with COVID, a lack of work in Cambodia, work in Thailand factories, widespread pesticide usage & climate change, and Cambodia’s relationship with the United States.

Interview with Em’s Mom and Grandma:

Research:

Budget Breakdown:

“REX” the Bolex

a memory box ...

With Rex, you compose an image through a tiny viewfinder tunnel. We won’t see the results until we return in May. Without being able to review footage, you release some control over the image and therefore have more attention to experience the feeling of a space or a moment. With limited recording material and uncertainty about what's being captured, you have to use emotion to choose when to run the camera. Watching the film footage will be like watching the selective memories of the trip. We are so thrilled to share this experience with you!

Footage from Lone Pair (filmed in 2016 with Rex):

If you are inspired to donate, please consider splitting your donation between us and Liyang Network’s current campaign to support frontline environmental defenders in the Philippines.

Liyang Network is a local-to-global advocacy network which uplifts the call to actions of frontline environmental and human rights defenders in the Philippines. We are both involved in this international solidarity work to resist extractive industry, exploitation, and poverty in the Philippines, as well as Cambodia and other countries in the global south.

You can donate to~~

Venmo: @LiyangNetwork

Paypal: @LiyangNetwork (Joseph Centeno)

We hope to be able to relate the struggles of the Philippines’ people to those in Cambodia, and eventually share these stories in the form of a film. Thank you for continuing to support the work to uplift the voices of those most impacted by extractivism and war!

With deep love & gratitude,

Em & Ry

Funds will go to Ryan and Em who are producing