The Killing Fields of Dr. Haing S. Ngor (2015)
When Dr. Haing S. Ngor was forced into labor camps by the Khmer Rouge, little did he know he would escape years of torture and recreate his experiences in a film that would win him an Academy Award®. "The Killing Fields of Dr. Haing S. Ngor" tells the dramatic story about arguably the most recognizable survivor of the Cambodian genocide, a man who became a worldwide ambassador for justice in his homeland, only to be murdered in a Los Angeles Chinatown alley - a case still muddled with conspiracy theories. Through an inspired blend of original animation and rare archival material - anchored by Ngor's richly layered autobiography - the years encapsulating the Khmer Rouge's tyrannical rule over Cambodia are experienced though a politically charged transnational journey of loss and reconciliation.
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The Age of Commercialism
The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.
Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.
"The Killing Fields of Dr Haing S Ngor" is a carefully-made documentary based on Dr Ngor's own treasury of his improbable life's images and words. We see astonishing films of Cambodian history, little known to Americans, and Dr. Ngor's life--both improbable and heroic. First, Haing was a Cambodian son with a medical degree, enjoying his position of wealth and power; then a prisoner of the brutal Pol Pot regime until, by chance and astonishing good luck, he came to America only to be offered the role of Dith Pran in "The Killing Fields"(1984) for which he was one of three Asian actors to win an Academy Award. His story is remarkable and should be better known. Thanks to Arthur Dong's excellent film it can be.