Cambodia Film Making – Postscript

Among companies providing productions services to foreign film makers is Bophana Production a Pnomh Phen based company which has been involved in large scale productions and co-productions while producing documentaries on their own. Among most recently produced films serviced by Bophana are SAM SAME BUT DIFFERENT, THE CATCH, EMPIRE OF THE TIGER, and HOLY LOLA (bophanaproduction.com).

There is no official censorship in Cambodia yet all scripts need to be approved. According to Cedric Elroy who heads the Cambodia Film Commission (Cambodia-cfc.org), other South-East Asian countries exert more scrutiny on scripts than Cambodia does. Primary interest of the Ministry of Culture is an accurate representation of Khmer culture and Cambodian society. If scripts pose issues they can resolved with ministry officials in several weeks. Though there is sensitivity to the depiction of prostitution, corruption, drug abuse and sex, scenes with these themes can be found in features shot in the past like CITY OF GHOSTS and HOLY LOLA.
Claus Mueller, New York Correspondent
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