Film
Viplas/Rachana
Viplas/Rachana is a Cambodian drama by Chanvisal Sang about Rachana, an artist with a mental illness who has two weeks to paint new work for an exhibition.[1] Viplas is a Khmer word meaning "unstable."[2]
Synopsis
Rachana is a young artist who lives in America. She comes to Cambodia for an exhibition of her paintings. She has been diagnosed with bipolar/borderline personality disorder, but she has stopped taking her medicine and is having severe mood swings.[1] At the gallery, she sees people laughing at her paintings. Convinced they are no good, she burns them all and promises the gallery manager new paintings in two weeks.[1]
Her struggle with chronic depression and bipolar disorder, which at times leads to self-harm, becomes bound up with the life of a young painter who tries to understand her. The story also has humor and romance.[2] Rachana grew up in a family strongly affected by the years 1975 to 1979, and she stands for a new generation that needs mental health care. The film shows art as a way to face depression.[2]
Production and credits
Viplas is a Cambodian seriocomedy series about patients at a public mental health center, made as miniseries for theaters and television. Rachana is its first miniseries. The series was inspired by the 1975 American film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.[2] It was made by ComeTogether Films, whose founder and CEO is Ines Sothea.[3][2] She has said that bringing long-neglected Cambodian stories to theaters is her personal mission.[2]
Deependra Gauchan and Chanvisal Sang wrote the screenplay, and Ines Sothea wrote the story.[4] The film was shot in Phnom Penh.[3] Virak Vinich plays Rachana, Chy Rattana plays Virak and Mariny Hang plays Dalis. Povviroth Phal plays Dr. Vuth, and Leakhena Lorm plays Chantha.[4] Sophasak Kimann was director of photography, and Saren Chansereywatna and Pheakdey Chea edited the film.[4]
Release and reception
Rachana was rated for general audiences and screened for a time in cinemas in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in 2018, where it drew mixed responses.[2] Ines Sothea said many people came to the team for help after the screenings.[2]
The film won three awards and received one nomination.[3] At the 2019 Cambodia National Film Festival, Virak Vinich won Best Actress and Sophasak Kimann won Best Cinematography. Chy Rattana was nominated for Best Actor and received an honorary award.[5]
The Cambodia Town Film Festival dates the film to 2019 and listed it as a 110-minute narrative feature in Khmer with English subtitles. It had its U.S. premiere at the 2019 Cambodia Town Film Festival on September 14, 2019, at the Art Theatre in Long Beach, California.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Cambodia Town Film Festival, CTFF 2019 Official Selection: VIPLAS/RACHANA (archived)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 When in Phnom Penh, Why Viplas film matters to Cambodians (May 6, 2018)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 IMDb, Viplas/Rachana (2018)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 IMDb, Viplas/Rachana (2018), Full cast and crew
- ↑ IMDb, Viplas/Rachana (2018), Awards