Travel Tips - Phnom Penh (Ah!) - Faces & Places - January 2004

DJ Ken - Nationa Radio Text Servicel

Saturday January 31, 2004

Cambodian Film Festival & Seminar - NR Mail - Phnom Penh Shopping - Love FM Copy-(right?)

CAMBODIA'S FILM FESTIVAL

A film festival Cinema Cambodia: Remembering the Past & Moving Towards the Future was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia January 10, 11 & 16.

The event screened 14 Cambodian films. An International cinema conference followed January 17 at Pannasastra University.

The university's Faculty of Communications and Media Arts sponsored the event in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and UNESCO. All of the proceedings were offered for free to the public.

This was the first film festival presented in Cambodia since 1962.

The purpose was to bring together members of the Cambodian creative community, NGO's, expats and new filmmakers to discuss the Cambodian film industry's rich history.

Dr. Raymond Leos Pannasastra University's Dean and Professor, Faculty of Communications and Media Arts conceived the idea for the event. He wanted to show that Cambodia is "More than Po Pot."

The seminar's morning session topics were 'Cambodia's Film Legacy' and 'Creative Technical Challenges for Filmmakers in Cambodia.' The Creative Challenge panel included FIT Media's Lisa Miller and DDD's (Digital Divide Data) Iv Sovannary.

The afternoon panel sessions were The Business of Filmmaking: Financing Distribution, Marketing and Copyright Enforcement and Foreign Film Production - Can Hollywood and others Come to Cambodia.

'The Business of Filmmaking panel included H.E. Sok Siphana, Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce; H.E. Aun Chan Syavouth, Under Secretary of State in charge of TVK, Ministry of Information; Ly Bun Yim and Scott Rosenberg Asia Pacific Bureau Chief, Film Journal International, Bangkok.

Siphana noted that Cambodia was in line to be accepted to the WTO. He said that Cambodia would have to implement WTO requirements.

Protecting copyright, trademarks and patents will be part of that process. Siphana raised the question does Cambodia want to known as a country of thieves?

He said that Cambodia could improve their investment climate with good governance.

"We have to provide protection for intellectual property, copyright and trademarks."

This session heated up and gathered some steam when a student asked Siphana how could the government protect copyrights. There was no definitive answer.

Siphana noted that last year the government adopted a copyright law.

"As a policy we are for enforcement," he said. "I don't believe in police power. I believe we should educate the people."

The problems the country has faced over the past three decades of civil conflict has caused an effect on the quantity and quality of those in the creative community. There is a lack of training in addition to a lack of facilities and equipment to educate those interested in the film industry.

Syavouth pointed out that there was a lack of good books in Cambodia.

"We have a lot of writers but not for a good book or movie," he said.

Rosenberg related that movie making is a trillion dollar business with the Asian Pacific generating 215 billion dollars.

Actress Chun Khannara addressed the attendees and requested that filmmakers train actors before shooting a film.

The closing session Foreign Film Production - Can Hollywood and others Come to Cambodia panelists included: Luke Hunt, Phnom Penh Bureau Chief for AFP; Nick Ray, Director Hanuman Films, Phnom Penh and author of the Lonely Planet Travel Guide to Cambodia; Matthew Robinson, Executive Producer, TV Drama, BBC World Trust, Rosenberg and moderated by Leos.

Robinson is in the process of preparing to shoot a 60-episode drama for Channel 5 in Phnom Penh.

He said he will use Cambodian writers, directors and actors. He will also hire and train students for the crew.

Robinson also related the realities of life in the film industry. "One in 10 films made get shown," he said.

Ray was involved in the Tomb Raider production that was filmed in Cambodia.

He said the Lord Jim movie that was made in Cambodia in 1964 brought five million dollars into the Siem Reap economy during filming.

The day ended with an audience mix of creative professionals and students. Leos estimated 150-200 people attended the seminar. He was pleased with the turnout and interest.

At present there are no plans to present the festival next year but Leos was leaving the door open for a similar event.

He noted that it was a massive undertaking putting everything together. His aim was to bring together those interested or in creative fields.

He also hoped the awareness in the NGO community would result in contributions of computer time for those filmmakers that need the time to edit films but don't own the equipment to do so.

Donations of old computers would also help.

In closing Leos said of those that participated on all of the panels,

"The panelists have one thing in common, they're concerned about Cambodia. They want this country to work."

SEMINAR NOTES:

Actor Matt Dillon was invited but was a no show. Dillon spends a lot of time in Cambodia and acted and directed the film 'City of Ghosts' that was largely filmed in Phnom Penh....

There are plans for Pannasastra University to create a Department of Film Production....

The BBC's Robinson said that filming of the 60-episode drama will start shooting May 17....

Nick Ray said, "You can't buy an original copy of a movie in Cambodia."

MORE COPY(RIGHT?) PROTECTION

It will be interesting to see how Cambodia's copyright protection and its ascension to the WTO will pan out.

Cambodia's Love FM takes most of its play list by downloading songs from Kazaa on the Internet. They also assembled a CD of pirated songs for sale in stores.

The practice is indirectly supported by International sponsors such as CalTex, Total, Camshin (AIS/Shinawatra in Thailand), Colgate and Heineken.

The question is who is to blame? Is it the sponsor supporting shows that use pirated music or the station and those responsible that download music from the Internet? It's a situation that may have to be dealt with in the future.

NR Mail

KHO SAMUI to KO CHANG/TRAT?

An NR reader writes that he is on his way to Phnom Penh via the Koh Samui, Thailand area asks if there is a boat trip available for tourists that travels from the Koh Samui area across the Gulf of Thailand to the Ko Chang/Trat, Thailand. Any suggestions???

WHERE TO SHOP

Regarding supermarket items a reader asked, where can you shop in Phnom Penh?

The simple answer is we don't know but can share with you what little we do know. This is a difficult question to answer.

Supermarket prices keep changing so there goes the value. Lucky Market on Sihanouk Boulevard is a good place for most foreigner food and other items. The Lucky Markets at Sorya shopping center and the new location opposite Olympic stadium are not as well stocked.

For some strange reason the prices on many items foreigners like has been raised 10-25 cents at the Sihanouk Blvd. store. Tomato paste with no salt went up from 60 to 70 cents. Twelve individually wrapped cheddar cheese slices price increased from $1.95 to $2.20. New packaging of six-wrapped cheese slices is now available at Lucky's for $1.50.

Minced pork has risen from $3.60 a kilo to $3.90. A small jar of mayonnaise increased from $1.10 to $1.40 this past year.

Chicken is off our shopping list so we don't know the price. Some items the store previously stocked are no longer available or sold out.

For some items you can do better at the numerous Star Mart stores.

A bottle of Heinz ketchup cost 50 cents at Star Mart and 60 cents at Lucky. A container of toilet bowl cleaner cost 80 cents at Star Mart and 95 cents at Lucky.

You can purchase Helens cakes at the Big A and Pencil Markets but not at Lucky. Star Mart sell cakes from KIWI bakery. Lucky on Sihanouk Blvd. has the largest selection of meat and cold cuts. Big A sells a packet of spaghetti mix for 80 cents Lucky no longer has the product. When they carried the mix it cost ninety cents.

Last year Phnom Penh's Bayon Pearnik magazine did a fairly in depth survey of the Lucky Markets at Sorya Shopping Center and Sihanouk Boulevard. They said some items were cheaper at Sorya. They also noted they were hassled for noting prices as we were when we did a survey three years ago. So.... watch out for those Lucky Market police.

Produce items are cheaper at outdoor markets. The earlier you arrive the better and fresher the selection. Late in the day produce has been picked over and the heat has taken its toll. When you purchase products check the date of expiration.

So.... is this as clear as mud? Where to go to buy what remains a problem but it's a problem that continues to define itself. Any suggestions?

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