Becoming Human
(ជាតិជាមនុស្សា )
Co-presented with the Alliance Francaise in Chicago
A journalist and the guardian spirit of a soon-to-be-demolished theater share a friendship in this compassionate film about heritage and modernity
Date: Saturday, March 21
Time: 1:30 PM (Doors open at 1:00 PM)
Location: Alliance Française de Chicago
Cambodia | Fantasy Drama | 2025 | 99 minutes
In Khmer w/ English Subtitles
Director/Screenwriter: Polen Ly
Starring: Savorn Serak, Piseth Chhun
Film Source: Lights On
A journalist sneaks into an abandoned theater to say goodbye before its demolition. He encounters Thida, the guardian spirit of the theater. Though they forge a bond over conversations, Thida must choose between rebirth or remain a wandering ghost.
Polen Ly dissects his country’s dilemma between preservation and modernity in this insightful fantasy drama. Contemplating the importance of compassion and resilience in an everchanging world, the film is a meditative examination of fragility, time and memory, as well as the role they play in shaping our identities.