Respoken
| Respoken | |
|---|---|
| Directed by |
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| Produced by | Kimkahaptei Tann |
| Starring |
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| Edited by |
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Release date |
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Running time | 26 minutes |
| Country | Cambodia |
| Language | Khmer |
Respoken (និយាយឡើងវិញ) is a 2024 Cambodian Khmer language short documentary directed by Sidney Ken and Thai Phirun Hul. The film addresses Cambodian modern "Spoken theater" (Lakhon Niyeay).
It won the Best Documentary Award at the 4th Cambodia National Short Film Festival, in November 2024, and the awards for Best Short Film Director(s) and Best Short Film at the 3rd Cambodia Asian Film Festival, in September 2025.
The film premiered at the 13th Chaktomuk Short Film Festival in October 2024. It was also screened at the 14th Cambodia International Film Festival in March 2025.
Content
[edit]The film introduces Cambodian artists who have been struggling to bring Cambodia's Lakhon Niyeay (Spoken Theater) back to its glory days.[1] The main storyline follows Nen Phearith, leader of the playgroup "EsaiVoler", in the process of trying to organize their upcoming performance of "Kolab Pailin" amidst low ticket sales. Featured interviewees include Soung Sopheak, Seng Ponrong, Chan Sreyleak, and Chhon Syna, who discuss their individual efforts in preserving Lakhon Noyeay, as well as their concerns about this dwindling art form.[2]
Cast
[edit]- Phearith Nen[3]
- Sopheak Soung
- Ponrong Seng
- Sreyleak Chan
- Syna Chhon
Reception
[edit]In a review for Film Threat, Ken Hill wrote: "the heart and soul of this short but potent film, Sreyleak Chan, exposes the cost, both financial and emotional, yet he is never deterred nor seems afraid. It is a fascinating portrait of the courage it takes to live a dream in a reality that only wants to keep us marching to the beat of the times. Respoken cries out against the death of art and culture. It rages spectacularly against the dying of the light." [4]
A review by Panos Kotzathanasis in Asian Movie Pulse stated: "Some additional context about how spoken theater differs from conventional stage performance would have been welcome, and the integration of different footage could have been slightly more cohesive. Nevertheless, the result succeeds in highlighting a disappearing art form and the efforts of the people striving to keep it alive."[2]
Accolades
[edit]| Festival | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13th Chaktomuk Short Film Festival | 26 October 2024 | Documentary Showcase | Respoken | Nominated | [5] |
| 4th Cambodia National Short Film Festival | 30 November 2024 | Best Documentary | Respoken | Won | [6] |
| 14th Cambodia International Film Festival | 21 March 2025 | Glimpse of Cambodia Showcase | Respoken | Nominated | [7] |
| 3rd Cambodia Asian Film Festival | 6 September 2025 | Best Short Film Director(s) | Sidney Ken, Thai Phirun Hul | Won | [8][9][10][11] |
| Best Short Film | Respoken | Won |
References
[edit]- ^ ""Respoken" : Un documentaire sur la préservation du théâtre khmer traditionnel". lepetitjournal.com (in French). Retrieved 2025-05-28.
- ^ a b Kotzathanasis, Panos (2025-10-04). "Respoken (2024) by Sidney Ken and Thai Phirun Hul Documentary Short Review". Asian Movie Pulse. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
- ^ Kotzathanasis, Panos (2025-10-07). "Sidney Ken Interview". Asian Movie Pulse. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
- ^ Hill, Ken. "Respoken: Review". filmthreat.com. Retrieved 2025-10-27.
- ^ "Young Filmmakers Spotlight Khmer Theater in a Bid for Revival". Cambodianess. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
- ^ Abel, Viseth (2024-12-02). "មហោស្រព ជាតិ ភាពយន្ត ខ្នាតខ្លី កម្ពុជា លើក ទី៤ រក ឃើញ ម្ចាស់ ជ័យលាភី ស្នាដៃ ភាពយន្ត ឆ្នើម ចំនួន ៤ និង ពានរង្វាន់ លើកទឹក ចិត្ត ចំនួន ៩ - Troryorng Media". Troryorng Media. Archived from the original on 2024-12-13. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
- ^ Arnold, Marlene (2025-03-17). "Respoken". Cambodia International Film Festival. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
- ^ Sotheavy, Chan (2025-09-07). "ភាពយន្តខ្មែរ២រឿង ដណ្តើមបានពាន "Best Short Film" និង "Best Leading Actress" ក្នុងមហោស្រពភាពយន្តកម្ពុជាអាស៊ី លើកទី៣". Kampuchea Thmey Daily. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
- ^ "ភាពយន្តខ្នាតខ្លី «និយាយឡើងវិញ» ធ្លាប់ឈ្នះពានកម្មវិធីធំៗជាច្រើន មុនឈ្នះពាន២ ពីមហោស្រពភាពយន្តកម្ពុជា-អាស៊ី". news.pnn.com.kh. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
- ^ "ភាពយន្តខ្នាតខ្លីកម្ពុជា២រឿង ដណ្តើមបានពានរង្វាន់ Best Short Film និង Best - សុីសុីថាមស៍". The Cambodia China Times (in Khmer). 2025-09-09. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
- ^ "ភាពយន្តកម្ពុជា២ ក្រសោបបានពានរង្វាន់ ៣ធំៗ ពីមហោស្រពភាពយន្តកម្ពុជា-អាស៊ី ឆ្នាំនេះ!". news.pnn.com.kh. Retrieved 2025-10-01.