Film
The Witch (film)
The Witch (Thmob) is a Cambodian horror film by Huy Yaleng, based on a Khmer folk tale about a sorceress and set in the Longvek era.[1][2] Longvek became Cambodia's capital after the Siamese sacked Angkor in 1431.[1]
Synopsis
The story follows the tycoon Raj, his pregnant wife Tep Leak and their two children. The family lives in harmony until bandits waylay Raj and badly injure him.[1] A series of disasters follows: the well dries up, workers disappear and cattle go missing.[1] Raj begins to act strangely, and his brother-in-law suspects that he is possessed or involved in black magic. In the tale, the witch casts spells that make people sick or kill them.[1]
Production and credits
Huy Yaleng directed and produced the film and plays Raj, the lead role.[1][2] Oul Chamroeun was the cinematographer. The cast includes Huy Yaleng, Hin Channiroth, Chan Dara and Ven Vannak.[1] Huy Yaleng said the film draws on Cambodian traditional beliefs, and that its locations and clothing are based on those of remote provinces. He said filming took about a month, and that he and his crew paid close attention to small details to recreate the feel of the period.[2]
Release and reception
When in Phnom Penh listed The Witch as a 2017 film, while IMDb gives a Cambodian release date of January 1, 2018.[3][4] Huy Yaleng said the film had been a great success in Cambodia and in Brunei since its first screening on January 25.[2] He attended a special screening in Seria, Brunei, where he answered audience questions. A second secretary of the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Brunei Darussalam was present.[2]
The film was an official selection of the 2018 Cambodia Town Film Festival and screened at the Art Theatre in Long Beach, California, on September 16, 2018. It runs 80 minutes, in Khmer with English subtitles.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Cambodia Town Film Festival, CTFF 2018 OFFICIAL SELECTION: THE WITCH (archived)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Borneo Bulletin, Cambodian film screening draws film and art activists (via rssing)
- ↑ When in Phnom Penh, 10 Cambodian Movies to Watch in 2018 (February 25, 2018)
- ↑ IMDb, The Witch (2018)