"First they killed my father" tells the story of a young Cambodian girl that flees from the Communists alongside her family, which partly worked for the government. On their long way under the new regime, the family gets separated, tortured and killed. The dream of masses of people turns into a nightmare before her eyes, while her world gets turned upside down.
What we see in this movie is plainly awful. We see a young child, who doesn't understand what is happening while politics tear her life apart. The production is of high value, even though in my eyes the movie is a bit long and could have been told in fewer time. This girl is exemplary for many destinies throughout this happenings, which makes the film both important, but at the same time prevent a very individual connection to the main characters. In a way it is more a political statement than a blockbuster.
All in all this is a movie for those who want to gain more insight into this particular period of history. It is tremendous and horrifying, but it is, unfortunately, not an excellent film.
What we see in this movie is plainly awful. We see a young child, who doesn't understand what is happening while politics tear her life apart. The production is of high value, even though in my eyes the movie is a bit long and could have been told in fewer time. This girl is exemplary for many destinies throughout this happenings, which makes the film both important, but at the same time prevent a very individual connection to the main characters. In a way it is more a political statement than a blockbuster.
All in all this is a movie for those who want to gain more insight into this particular period of history. It is tremendous and horrifying, but it is, unfortunately, not an excellent film.