A year-long documentary film project called Visualising the Mekong run by the Bophana Centre has resulted in 17 documentaries being produced by a group of 15 youths working in Phnom Penh, Kandal and Strung Treng provinces.

At the young filmmakers graduation ceremony for the programme last week, executive director of Bophana Audiovisual Resource Centre Chea Sopheap stated that the aim of the project was to provide scholarships to 15 young Cambodians between ages 18 and 30 years to participate in film training courses for producing documentaries and also general multimedia production.

“Achieving these goals is not a coincidence, it comes from the determination and struggle of the 15 young people helped along by the moral, material and technical support of the teams working on the project as well as the financial support of donors and the participation of film actors and community members, especially the cooperation and coordination from the provincial and local administrations.

“Many of these 17 short documentaries were selected and screened for the first time at the 11th Cambodia International Film Festival in July, 2022, attended by more than 400 representatives of state institutions, development partners, community members, students and the general public,” he said.

The 15 students also promoted their projects and films at the 2022 National Youth Forum, co-organised by Transparency International Cambodia, ActionAid Cambodia, Cambodian Centre for Independent Media, Cambodian Living Arts, Diakonia and Gender and Development for Cambodia in August in front of a large audience that earned them the award for most popular group.

Tieng Piseth, head of administration and project coordinator at the Bophana Audiovisual Resource Centre, spoke about the five short films of the 17 total that were produced in Stung Treng province.

“The short documentaries made in Stung Treng by the 15 participants are The Heart of Ramsar co-directed by Son Vannat, Oem Veasna and Kong Raksmey; Whose Shadow? co-directed by Kim Vannheng, Som Rakliv and Chea Sokny; The Treasure of Mekong co-directed by Yi Luyheng, Pan Vongvichet and Chan Synat; Following Dad’s Path co-directed by Morm Sotheara, Mao Phearak, Kol Sovannpichvicheka and Green Home co-directed by Chov Kimsrong, Out Sreypich and Mao Mensocheata,” he said.

The Visualising the Mekong project was supported by BBC Media Action and funded by the Swedish International Development Agency and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Technical advice was provided by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Oxfam Mekong Water Governance, Wonders of the Mekong, the NGO Forum, Fisheries Administration, Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts.

The ceremony awarding certificates to the 15 trainees was presided over by Som Sokun, secretary of state at the culture ministry.

“The participation of young people in gaining new knowledge and experience related to the production of documentaries is an activity that contributes to the development of the film industry in Cambodia,” Sokun said. “Studying the arts of filming, directing, writing and editing and their techniques is very important for a documentary filmmaker, but more important are the content and the truths shown by the documentary.”

Eighty percent of those trained at the Bophana Centre find employment afterwards and many continue their studies in film and multimedia, both at home and internationally. This year a documentary produced by Bophana Centre trainees was selected to be screened and compete in international film festivals in France and Australia.

“We remain committed to continuing this work to contribute to the development of Cambodian society. I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the Ministry of Environment for their support on this project as they also supported the work of the mission of the Bophana Centre from the very beginning,” said Bophana Centre director Sopheap.