Filmmaker Sees Work Banned at Cambodia Film Festival

Say Mony, VOA Khmer

23 December 2013

Filmmaker Sees Work Banned at Cambodia Film Festival ​​

While the newly-appointed minister of Culture and Fine Arts Pheoung Sakona was on stage praising Cambodian filmmakers for their efforts to bring fame back to Cambodian cinema industry at the launch of Cambodia International Film Festival held in Phnom Penh last weekend, renowned filmmaker Chhay Bora was listening quietly and clapping his hands at the end of her speech. This despite his latest feature film "3.50," which he co-produced with a Singaporean filmmaker, being banned at cinemas in the country. "I hope the new minister who has been in office recently will probably consider opening up more for the art arena especially the film industry." (Say Mony, Phnom Penh)

Cambodia Thanks US Officials for Returned Statues

Say Mony, VOA Khmer

22 June 2013

PHNOM PENH - New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art has returned two massive Angkorian statues to Cambodia.

Officials here say they are grateful to the US government for their help in the return, and for pursuing an ongoing court case to have another statue, currently housed at the auction house Sotheby’s, returned.

Artists Want Cambodia Known for Its Work, Not Genocide

Say Mony, VOA Khmer

12 April 2013

The troupe will perform at the Abrons Arts Center in New York April 18 and April 19. Their performance, “Olden New Golden Blue,” explores the dancers’ relationship with their past.

PHNOM PENH - A group of performing artists in Cambodia say they are working to ensure that Cambodia is internationally known for more than a genocidal regime that ruled the country more than 30 years ago. That includes the ongoing performances now underway in New York for the Season of Cambodia festival—where many works and performances are on display in April and May.

Artists Prepare for Major Festival in New York

Say Mony, VOA Khmer
Sunday, 17 March 2013

Four years in the making, the “Season of Cambodia” festival will include 125 artists and take place at some of the most prominent venues in the city of New York

Cambodian Living Arts screen shot website

PHNOM PENH - Cambodian artists are preparing for a major festival to be held in the US in April and May. Four years in the making, the “Season of Cambodia” festival will include 125 artists and take place at some of the most prominent venues in the city of New York.

US Initiative Helps Chams Retain Language and Culutre

Say Mony, VOA Khmer
Thursday, 27 December 2012

A US-funded cultural preservation project among Cambodia's Cham Muslims has helped students learn to read and write in their traditional language and script. Some Cham are increasingly looking toward Arabic countries and organizations for support. And while this has caused some worry that the culture and some of its half a million people could fall under the influence of extremist groups, US Embassy officials say the project is not directly a counter-terrorism effort.

Cambodians in Washington and Nearby States Held Buddhist Kathina Ceremony

Say Mony and Cheang Sophinarath, VOA Khmer
Thursday, 27 October  2011

Hundreds Cambodians held Kathina ceremony and got free flu shot at Buddhikarama pagoda in Silver Spring, Maryland on Sunday October 23. Participants shared contribution for the ceremony and gave donation to build a stupa for Buddha relics. VOA's Khmer Cheang Sophinarath reports.

American Students Build Houses for Poor Students

Say Mony, VOA Khmer 
Saturday, 06 August  2011

To help Cambodian children attend schools, volunteer American students are helping a non-governmental organization 'Caring for Cambodia' to build houses for poor families in Siem Reap. Figure shows high percentage of Cambodian boys and girls dropping out of schools because poverty. VOA Khmer's Say Mony reports from Siem Reap.

In Northern Preah Vihear, Lao Is a Way of Life

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Saturday, 19 February 2011

Kampong Sra Lao II consists of four villages with more than 380 families, nearly 2,000 people living along the Mekong.

In a remote corner of Preah Vihear province, an identity shift is under way. Here on the border, where the Mekong river spills over rocky falls from Laos into Cambodia, a younger generation is increasingly adopting a Lao way of life. “Their parents only speak Lao with them,” said Neang Phann, an eldery villager in Kampong Sra Lao II commune, in Chaep district. “Some parents aren’t even able to speak Khmer.”

Fans of Cambodian Oldies Trying To Preserve Songs Before Khmer Rouge's Time

Pich Samnang and Brian Calver, VOA Khmer
Tuesday, 21 September 2010

No songs, no singers, no musician composers could yet replace oldies songs in 1960s and 1070s in the hearts of most Cambodians. At least three fans of those oldies songs were trying to collect them from big towns to small villages. They are recording them into modern equipment to preserve the original voices of Sin Sisamuth, Ruos Sereisothea, Pen Rorn, In Yeng, So Math, Huy Meas...

‘Monster’ Band Digitizes Traditional Sound

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Thursday, 03 June 2010 

A group of young Cambodian and foreign musicians have begun playing contemporary forms of Cambodian music. Krom Monster uses five traditional instruments combined with digital manipulation to create music that appeals to younger Cambodians. The band, made up of five Cambodians and one Briton, is part of a trend in collaboration between modern and classic artists underway in Cambodia.

Struggling Writers Emerging, Book by Book

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Friday, 26 September 2008

The novel sat, unpurchased, on a stand outside O’Russey Market. On its cover, a young man carried a beautiful woman in his arms, through rain and lighting. The novel, “If a Heart Has Blood,” was one of the books coming out of Cambodia’s growing literary scene and, like other Cambodian novels, had a message.

“If a Heart Has Blood” tells the story of a singer who tricks her powerful, promiscuous father into sleeping with her. It is the second novel of 28-year-old author You Sophea, who said recently it was meant as an indictment of the practice of “okhnas,” businessmen of high standing, having sex with young girls.

“I’ve written the novel in hopes of getting rid of attempts by some singers to get other women’s husbands,” he said. “Meanwhile, okhnas should stop considering young female singers as sex objects, because if the singers were their own daughters or relatives, how would these okhnas feel?”