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Outside her career as an Oscar-winning actress, Angelina Jolie is also well known for her worldwide humanitarian efforts. And in directing her latest film, First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers, she sets out to bring awareness to a topic (and a nation) that’s become close to her heart.
First They Killed My Father is based on the autobiography of Cambodian activist Loung Ung. The child of a high-ranking military police officer, Loung lived a good life with her family in the capital city until the communist party, known as the Angkar, commanded the city’s residents to evacuate. The film then follows Loung and her family through years of starvation, fear, hard labor, separation, and even children’s military training as they moved to villages and camps throughout the country as they continued to fight for survival.
Told through the eyes of Loung (played by Sareum Srey Moch), who was just five years old when the family was forced out of their home, First They Killed My Father isn’t a big, bold, explosive war movie—though the soldiers and their weapons are always nearby. Instead, it’s surprisingly understated: a simple story with limited dialogue. Most of the action seems to take place in the background—because, like most children, Loung isn’t really focused on the big picture. She doesn’t really understand what’s going on around her. For her, it’s about moments with her family. It’s about the work and the moving and the fear and the hunger. And it’s about how different her life has become.
Despite the noise that constantly surrounds Loung and her family—the explosions, the crowds of people, the shouted propaganda—the film actually feels quiet. It’s more about the sights, the environment, and the observations than a meticulously told story. And while that can be frustrating to some viewers who would prefer powerful dialogue and carefully crafted drama, it’s a moving film nonetheless.
Since the story is so simple, it’s important that there’s more to it than just a kid and her wandering family. Jolie undoubtedly put great effort into crafting a beautiful film. At times, she gets caught up in trying to be artistic, and it goes just a bit too far. But it’s clear that she truly cares about the country and its story—and the result is an uncomplicated but striking biography.
First They Killed My Father isn’t an over-the-top Hollywood production. It’s a thoughtful and eye-opening—and beautiful—film about a terrible event in world history and some of the people who fought to survive it.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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