Funan, the upcoming GKIDS release from co-writer/director Denis Do in his feature directorial debut, tells a deeply personal tale from Do’s own family history. The story follows a Cambodian family who finds their idyllic lives turned upside down by the emergence of the Khmer Rouge in the mid-1970s. What follows is a harrowing tale of survival and sacrifice, and a portrayal of man’s inhumanity to man. And it's all pulled from experiences that Do's own family members and their friends suffered through, as he reveals in our exclusive new video featurette.

In this touching and earnest interview, Do talks about his journey in making Funan, gleaning bits of information and intimate stories from his family members and their fellow survivors, some of whom they hadn't seen or spoken to in decades. Their story, and by extension that of Funan, is one that needs to be remembered even if history has a way of trying to forget it, especially in the West. I also had the chance to ask Do more specific questions about Funan and its powerful message, so keep an eye out for my interview with him next week just before the film's debut. Look for your local theater and dates/times here.

Watch our exclusive featurette for Funan below:

The official trailer for Funan can be seen here:

NY opens on June 7 at IFC Center.

LA opens on June 14 at Laemmle Glendale

More dates and locations to come.

More info: FunanMovie.com

And here’s the official synopsis:

Cambodia, April 1975. Chou is a young woman whose everyday world is suddenly upended by the arrival of the Khmer Rouge regime. During the chaos of the forced exile from their home, Chou and her husband are separated from their 4-year-old son, who has been sent to an unknown location. As she navigates her new reality, working in the fields day and night under the careful watch of soldiers, and surviving the small indignities and harrowing realities of the increasingly grim work camps, Chou remains steadfast in her determination to reunite her family – even if it means risking everything.

 

Winner of the top prizes at the Annecy Animation Festival and the Animation is Film Festival, Funan is a searing and remarkable debut from filmmaker Denis Do, who uses his own family history as inspiration for a thrilling story of love, loss and enduring hope in the most trying of times. Featuring the voices of Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) and Louis Garrel (The Dreamers).

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