D'abord, ils ont tué mon père

Original title: First They Killed My Father

2017
16
2h 16m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

22K

YOUR RATING

Sareum Srey Moch in D'abord, ils ont tué mon père (2017)

'First They Killed My Father' is the adaptation of Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung's gripping memoir of surviving the deadly Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1978. The story is told through her eyes, from the age of five, when the Khmer Rouge came to power, to nine years old. The film depicts the indomitable spirit and devotion of Loung and her family as they struggle to stay together during the Khmer Rouge years.

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Docudrama Tragedy Biography Drama History War

Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung recounts the horrors she suffered as a child under the rule of the deadly Khmer Rouge.Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung recounts the horrors she suffered as a child under the rule of the deadly Khmer Rouge.Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung recounts the horrors she suffered as a child under the rule of the deadly Khmer Rouge.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

22K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 9 wins & 29 nominations total

Self
(archive footage)

Richard Nixon

Self
(archive footage)

Sreyneath Reth

Khmer Rouge Teacher

Tiger Reth

Khmer Rouge Leader

Mony Ros

Tharoth Sam

Khmer Rouge Leader

Nut Sophal

Lon Nol

Self
(archive footage)
(uncredited)

User reviews124

7.221.6K

Featured reviews

8billcr12

Heartbreaking

Angelina Jolie proves her directing chops with this feature. It takes place in 1975 as the U.S. military was leaving Vietnam and Cambodia. The Kmer Rouge were taking over, millions of Cambodians were displaced and killed. The star is a little girl who is the screenwriter of the material based on her best selling book. The story is horrific, as the family moves from a comfortable middle class existence to one of deprivation and starvation. The kids are great and the horrors of war are shown with an accurate eye by Ms. Jolie. She is a major talent as both an actress and director. One of the best films of the year.

8bcaptun

VietnamCombatVet

I watched it yesterday. The scene where she stood crying as the world was on fire sent me into the worst flashback in 54 years. I can't stop sobbing. I have never talked about the worst I had in Vietnam as a Combat Medic. I started to tell my wife about the time I picked up a 3 year old little girl who was just standing there crying. Her family had just been killed by an explosion. We were in a firefight with NVA soldiers. I grabbed her into my arms, and headed for a berm to protect her. I took a hit in my helmet as I ran with her. I just had a total breakdown in front of my wife. I sobbed uncontrollably. This film brought 54 years of keeping things inside me right to the surface. I have spent my whole life wondering what happened to her after the village women took her later when the fight was over. This film put me back to that day, that fight, with a vengeance from HELL. I have a daughter who is a Lt. With a very large Sheriffs Dept. A couple years ago she was the first Cop to enter an active school shooting in progress. As she entered the school carrying an M4, she took two rounds at close range from a shooter, they both went under her left arm. We protect children. You people who call me a baby killer are disgusting and should be ashamed to look in a mirror. Great job Angelina....

8Nevergivea10

Real

I only like realistic movies and this is as real as it gets. Incredible acting and directing. I'm still amazed at how they get six year olds to act so authentically. If you like historically accurate movies, this one's for you. If anything, they downplayed the brutality of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge.

9Bluewater1986

Not sure what people want from movie

The film is Netflix polished with breathtaking scenes and a suspenseful atmosphere. The story is based on truth from a 7 year old girls perspective during the rise of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.

Scenes of family survival and the horrors of war hold up well and should be of delight to anyone interested in the politics that engulfed South East Asia during the 1970's.

The dialogue in the movie is very basic but I'm left to wonder whether that was the intention as the story is from a small child's perspective trying to make sense of her surroundings.

There is very little in character development or details on what is actually happening politically in the movie in most scenes.

I would recommend people read into the Khmer Rouge before watching as it would make a more enjoyable movie experience, paying particular attention as the why Western Allied Nations supported such a brutal regime after the fall of Vietnam to the Communists.

God bless to all those in Cambodia that lived and died through this troubled time, great movie and certainly brought regular tears to my eyes.

7claudio_carvalho

The Khmer Rouge Effect through the Eyes of a Girl

In the 70's, a Cambodian middle-class girl sees the lives of her family and her turning upside-down when the Khmer Rouge invades the Cambodia. They leave their comfortable apartment and lifestyle to live in a primitive working camp. Her father, a former officer, is killed and the family splits to survive.

Angelina Jolie once again surprises with another great film about contemporary war and genocide directed by her. "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" shows the effect of the revolution promoted by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia through the eyes of an innocent seven year-old girl. Her family is separated and they fight to survive in a devastated country. The children have top-notch performances and Angelina Jolie succeeds in exploring the best from each one of them. The "happy ending" does not fit well to the storyline and maybe is the unique "but", probably imposed by producers. Even those that are not fans of Angelina Jolie with have to respect her work as director. My vote is seven.

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Trivia
Almost all Cambodian artists, actors and film professionals were killed during the Khmer Rouge regime and only a few of the directors were able to flee the country. The history of the birth and destruction of Cambodian cinema is covered in the documentary Le Sommeil d'or (2011) from the first Cambodian film made in 1960 to the arrival of the Khmer Rouge in 1975. In these 15 years, about 400 films were produced, but only 30 films survived. With a few of the survivors telling their stories, the documentary tries to bring back to life the myths and legends of this lost cinema. Most of the old movie theaters of Phnom Penh have now become restaurants, karaoke places or squats.

Goofs
From 1975 to 1979, people had only skin cover their bone due to heavily overwork and starvation. Most of the scenes from movie show people still healthy with no lack of food or nutrient.

Quotes
[first lines]
Richard Nixon: [on broadcast TV] Cambodia, a small country of 7 million people, has been a neutral nation since the Geneva agreement of 1954. American policy since then has been to scrupulously respect the neutrality of the Cambodian people.
British Reporter: [standing with troops] The Vietnamese armies on the south side of the river appear to be indifferent to the contest.
Cambodian Politician: Under the pretext that there is a war necessity, they come into Cambodia.
Field Reporter: Are you glad to be in Cambodia?
Soldier: Negative. No.
Radio Reporter: The principle casualties appear to be innocent Cambodians.
Henry Kissinger: [at podium] ... the occasional difficulties in reaching a final solution.
Richard Nixon: What we are doing is to help the Cambodians help themselves. This is *not* an invasion of Cambodia.
French Reporter: The Nixon Doctrine for Southeast Asia appears to have failed. The war that began in Vietnam has now engulfed Cambodia. There is anger and frustration at the US bombings. Thousands of lives lost. Farms and livelihoods destroyed.