Angelina Jolie’s latest directorial –and humanitarian--effort, First They Killed My Father, the film version of Loung Ung’s well-received book from 2000, adds to this gifted director’s body of work illuminating injustice. A personal history of the Khmer Rouge takeover of Cambodia seen through the eyes of a 5 year old little girl, the movie softens what we know, while revealing hard hitting and harrowing details of indoctrination, starvation, torture. Driven from her comfortable city apartment in Phnom Penh with her family, Loung’s survival through the loss of both parents, and two siblings, is the film’s riveting journey. And as she showed in her earlier films, Jolie’s tough storytelling on difficult subjects has a higher purpose, a mission to teach compassion. This is an important film, yes, and Jolie deserves accolades for her fine work as director.
Now living in Cleveland, a restaurateur with her husband, Ung said she is writing a novel after several books of non-fiction. The hardest part of making the movie for her was to be so visible, she said. As a writer, you are always behind your words. Cambodian born Maddox Jolie-Pitt was executive producer on his mom’s film. While he grew up surrounded by film people, he said, he does not want to make films, preferring to pursue a career in music. Angelina’s father, Jon Voight had to wait his turn as so many gathered around Jolie, but when he got to her, the famously at odds father and daughter had a moment, and she thanked him for coming.
Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura
Comments