IMDb RATING
7.3/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
14-year-old Chakra is sold as a slave labourer to the captain of a Thai fishing vessel. The captain's rule on board is cruel and arbitrary.14-year-old Chakra is sold as a slave labourer to the captain of a Thai fishing vessel. The captain's rule on board is cruel and arbitrary.14-year-old Chakra is sold as a slave labourer to the captain of a Thai fishing vessel. The captain's rule on board is cruel and arbitrary.
- Awards
- 10 wins & 17 nominations total
Sovichea Cheap
- Minivan Driver
- (as Cheap Sovichea)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
Chakra, 14 years old cambodian boy is tired of being the only one among his siblings of being exploited by his father carrying fertilizer to the ricing field every morning , without even being paid , he seeks freedom and independance, wanting to work somewhere else where he can earn money and live better, he then finds a job at a fishing boat in Bangkok but soon he realizes that he was sold off as a slave to merciless and cruel boat captain who has a savage ways of punishement for anyone refusing to submit to a working rules he set for them by using violence and torturing them to death , seeing all this ferocity around him , Chakra turns into a vicious boy himself as the only one to survive and freeing himself.
This was a moving , realistic drama with an aspect of suspense, that highlights a modern slavery in South Asia . I would like to give credit to the oustanding performance of Sal heng who delivered every emotion in such a unique and sensitive way.
The movie was beautifully shot, showing a breathtaking scenery and landscapes accompanied by an impressive music that added up to the tension that I felt throughout the story .
This was a moving , realistic drama with an aspect of suspense, that highlights a modern slavery in South Asia . I would like to give credit to the oustanding performance of Sal heng who delivered every emotion in such a unique and sensitive way.
The movie was beautifully shot, showing a breathtaking scenery and landscapes accompanied by an impressive music that added up to the tension that I felt throughout the story .
So this is an Australian film about a very poor, 14 year old Cambodian boy, who gets sick and tired of being exploited by his family (despite many older brothers, he is forced to do all the work in his family and also forced to do free slave labor for neighbors basically sowing rice paddies - and that is major work, son). So he takes a debt to go to Thailand and work. But, because he doesn't pay up front, he is sold into slavery to a fisherman trawler, and from there he experiences all kinds of torture and abuse. The adults can't handle it; will he? This is an exceptional foreign independent film. The film is not brutal but is darkly realistic. The direction, acting, script, cinematography, editing, and score are all top notch. This is a film from last year worth searching out. SEE IT!
The Bravery of the 14 year old slave shines through, hope in a hopeless human story. Corruption of fishing Industry for dog and cat Food To sell in cans at Woolworths and Coles and supermarkets around the world involves Children slaves and humans being abused and exploited. PLEASE STOP BUYING CAT AND DOG FOOD
What a joy to see this gem at the Berlin Berlinale. I went knowing and expecting nothing... and to be honest? Having seen another film made using young inexperienced Cambodian actors that somehow didn't touch me... i was not expecting a whole lot.
I go to films, wanting an immersive experience. It doesn't take much to snap me out of the moment. An actor with 2 lines who somehow manages to deliver them poorly, mood music that is masturbatory in its dramatic emotion levels.... poor scripting, silly, boring premises.
I got to the end of Buoyancy and was so sad for the moment to have ended. Just wonderful film making. Such a solid effort from the whole cast.... i believed every single one of them were living what i was seeing not just acting... but Sarm... the lead? Wow. What a performance.
The story itself I won't touch as I don't want to spoil it for those who have not seen it.. but its gut wrenchingly realistic, brutal, human and inhuman all at once. I really can't think of another movie to compare it to.
Just wow.
I go to films, wanting an immersive experience. It doesn't take much to snap me out of the moment. An actor with 2 lines who somehow manages to deliver them poorly, mood music that is masturbatory in its dramatic emotion levels.... poor scripting, silly, boring premises.
I got to the end of Buoyancy and was so sad for the moment to have ended. Just wonderful film making. Such a solid effort from the whole cast.... i believed every single one of them were living what i was seeing not just acting... but Sarm... the lead? Wow. What a performance.
The story itself I won't touch as I don't want to spoil it for those who have not seen it.. but its gut wrenchingly realistic, brutal, human and inhuman all at once. I really can't think of another movie to compare it to.
Just wow.
It was one of the interesting movies to watch during these corona lockdown days. There is actually a lot of injustice and violence in the world and we are very little aware of this. The movie does not only demonstrate the injustices in Cambodian seas, it makes us feel like we are sitting on those comfortable seats whithout doing anything.
Did you know
- TriviaOfficial submission of Australia for the 'Best International Feature Film' category of the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020.
Details
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $50,281
- Runtime
- 1h 33m(93 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content