Pol Pot Dancing

In the organizer's words:

• DE/NO 2024
• 101 min
• Director: Enrique Sánchez Lansch
• FSK: from 12 years
• Documentary: Original version with German voiceover and subtitles where applicable

Screenings:

• Thu, December 12, 2024 - Wed, December 18, 2024 at 5:00 pm

"One of the most captivating films that celebrated its world premiere at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Film Festival. (...) Director Enrique Sánchez Lansch has tracked down incredibly rare archives to tell the true story of Pol Pot's past. Rehearsals and scenes from the dance form the core of Pol Pot Dancing - in a way, by honoring this art form, the film can be described as a reckoning with the dictator who nearly eradicated the artistic expression that is part of the world's cultural heritage." DEADLINE

In the royal palace of Cambodia, star dancer Chea Samy lovingly raises her husband's little brother as if he were her own son, sends him to the best schools and enables him to study in Paris. Years later, as a forced laborer under the rule of the Khmer Rouge, she learns that her foster son is none other than the dictator Pol Pot. Between 1975 and 1979, an estimated quarter of the Cambodian population was murdered under his leadership, and classical Cambodian dance was on the verge of extinction. Chea Samy survived, however, and dedicated herself to training hundreds of traumatized young girls to become dancers. She not only offers them a perspective, but also preserves a tradition that is deeply rooted in the culture from being forgotten. Today, this dance is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.