Cinema: The 13th Cambodia International Film Festival draws to an emotional close

The 13th edition of the Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) drew to a close on Sunday 30 June at the Olympia cinema with the screening of the film "Satu - Year of the Rabbit".

Part of the team of CIFF volunteers in charge of registration and welcoming the public

A moment of sharing with the public and the organising team that brought to a close this immense cultural event in the Kingdom that continues to grow year after year, with the aim of promoting Cambodia as a promising country in the cinematographic arts.

13th edition of the CIFF, the culmination of the work of an entire team and its volunteers

For its 13th edition, the Cambodia International Film Festival once again offered a strong event that brought hope to the audiovisual sector in Cambodia.

It was a great event full of emotion, bringing people together to share their passion and culture. It also paid tribute to the great legend Maître Kong Nay, who passed away during the week of the festival.

Tribute paid to Master Kong Nay at the closing ceremony of the Cambodia Film Festival

Aspiring to promote Khmer culture and Cambodian cinematographic art as a promising sector worldwide, the Cambodia International Film Festival would be nothing without the entire organising team and all its volunteers who, with their smiles, laughter and professionalism, once again offered audiences a festival as unique and singular as ever.

"Compared to last year, we still have the same objective: to offer Cambodian and international films in order to promote Khmer culture, but also to discover other world cultures. This really makes the Cambodia International Film Festival unique," says Simaripich Sin, who is volunteering for the festival for the 3rd time.

Theansiv Seang, a volunteer for the event, confided: "I agree, the aim of the festival is the same, but this year it was even bigger than last year, I think. We've tried to develop the event in every way to offer the best to the public, with new films to give everyone new experiences. The presence of a number of filmmakers also enabled the public to find out more about the film and the working process of the various professionals."

He added: "For my part, as a volunteer, I was able to watch a number of films, and I was very impressed by one of them: 'Dhai Aakhar'. It's an Indian film that touched me and taught me a lot about a culture I wasn't necessarily familiar with”.

"We try, year after year, to develop the event as best we can in order to offer an unforgettable event in Cambodia. So, thank you to all the public and the support. We hope to see you next year for the 14th edition", concluded the young volunteer with great joy.

Pok Borak, Director of the Department of Cinema and representative of the Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, Her Excellency Madame Phoeurng Sackona, underlined the importance of this event for Cambodia's cultural sector:

"I would like to congratulate everyone involved in this 13th edition of the Cambodia International Film Festival. I am particularly grateful to the Bophana Centre, the Cambodia Film Commission, the Department of Cinema and Cultural Dissemination of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia, the staff, volunteers, partners and sponsors. Your efforts have made this great event a unique memory for the Kingdom for more than six days.

He added: "I hope that everyone has learned from the various screenings and workshops organised here in Cambodia. I'm confident that future collaborations between Khmer and international filmmakers will flourish. I hope we will welcome you back to the Kingdom soon”.

Mr Pok Borak, Director of the Film Department and representative of the Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, Her Excellency Mrs PHOEURNG Sackona at the CIFF closing ceremony

Looking ahead to the 14th edition, towards building a "new Golden Age" for the Kingdom

The 13th edition of the Festival is coming to a close with signs of commitment, initiatives and new perspectives, notably with, for the first time in the Festival's history, a jury of media and communication students who will award prizes to the films selected for this 13th edition.

This new initiative demonstrates the desire to develop new partnerships and private and public investment for this type of event in the Kingdom. In this landscape of expansion and amplification, building a better ecosystem where everyone is included will be the guiding principle of CIFF's work. One of the foundations of these commitments will be the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on SDG 1 "Eradicate poverty in all its forms, everywhere in the world".

"The impressive success of this 13th edition, which brought together all generations, both in the audience and in the panel of directors, is a source of encouragement and motivation for our entire team and our partners for the future. We look forward to seeing you at the end of March 2025 for the 14th edition", concluded Cédric Eloy, Director of the Cambodia International Film Festival.