October 7, 2024
The first movie by Moeung Rotha: The rubber tappers. 20‘s
In Ratanakiri, a province in northeastern Cambodia, Khlek, an 11-year-old boy, lives on the rubber plantation where his parents work. Coming from the Kroeung ethnic minority, they are tappers. But where does this enormous charred tree lying on the ground in the middle of the plantation come from? The answer that Khlek finds is much more complex than it seems.
Rotha Moeng, a Franco-Cambodian artist, is a director, producer, and gallery owner who divides his time between Paris and Phnom Penh.While completing his directorial debut in Banlung, Ratanakiri province, two films he produced and co-produced were released in Europe. "The Sound of the Night," directed by Chandaro Sok and Kong Kea Vann, while "White Building," a feature film by Kavich Neang.
Rotha Moeng's life is a testament to Cambodia's ongoing resurgence since the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime 44 years ago. As a child under Pol Pot's dictatorship, he lacked access to art, music, cinema,and songs untill his family sought refuge in Thailand. It was in a refugee camp where he experienced his first film, "Poah Keng Kang," sparking an enduring sense of wonder.
A a refugee in France, Rotha Moeng kept Cambodia alive within him through traditional festivals, cuisine,the Khmer language, and karaoke nights singing Sin Sisamuth's melodies.In the early 2000s, as security improved and Cambodia embraced tourism, Rotha Moeng made his first return to his homeland, known as "srok."This journey inspired him to share his childhood in Cambodia, the refugee camps in Thailand ,and his settlement in France, forming the foundation for his novel, "Lechœur des enfants khmers" (Seuil, 2008).
In the 2010s,his artistic endeavors flourished. He collaborated with Régis Wargnier on the film"Le temps des aveux," in the film, Rotha Moeng portrayed the defense lawyer for a Khmer Rouge executioner. He also engaged in the production of the terrible but unfinished story of Norodom Sihanouk, King of Cambodia,"performed in the Khmer language at Théâtre du Soleil, where Ariane Mnouchkineand Hélène Cixous first staged the play in 1985. Concurrently, he establishedan art gallery in Battambang, promoting young Cambodian artists.
As Cambodia undergoes profound changes, Phnom Penh becomes reminiscent of other bustling Asian metropolises. The rampant real estate frenzy and unchecked capitalism fracture Cambodian society, leaving them marginalized as casualties of this rapid development. Artists, including Rotha Moeng, strive to capture and reflect these transformations. Thus, he chose to produce the short film "The Sound of the Night," which follows the story of Vibol and Kea, two brothers who sell noodle soup from a motorized cart while signaling their presence to customers by tapping on a bamboo stick. Both face violence and poverty, making distinct choices to escape their predetermined fates. Alongside Davy Chou, Rotha Moeng co-produced "White Building," a feature film portraying a young Cambodian grappling with his father's illness and the destruction of his building.
After his initial experiences in production, Rotha Moeng takes a significant step by directing his first short film, "The rubber tappers" in January 2022.
The movie has been already selected in different festivals, in France, California, Japan.
