Talkback
Some Cambodians have championed the idea of convening a war crimes tribunal for Khmer Rouge leaders while the Cambodian Prime Minister has said that it is time for Cambodians to “dig a hole to bury the past.” In your view, which strategy would best help people move on and why? Share your thoughts and your reactions to NEW YEAR BABY.
Tell us what you think>>
Submissions will be posted here regularly, so visit again to read more.
I was moved in emotion as I watched this movie, and inspired by socheata's Father's courage. All the while, wishing this wonderful man had not had to revisit the nightmares parts of this country most probably represent to him.The khmer rouge would never openly apologize, but the labor boss stated he had asked for forgiveness years ago for his crimes, and he deals with his guilt by reminding himself he wasn't the only person responsible and had to follow orders.This evasiveness shows he does suffer some guilt- no matter what he claims. No one who commits crimes on others is anxious to own the responsibility alone. He probably wishes he could now trade shoes with Pa.I hope through the many messages I see posted about the movie that Pa came to feel the trip back was worth it to him personally. Also, he realizes he is so deeply admired for all he did and endured- he is such a wonderful man. He found lost family members, thus saving them the hardships of a life of labor. He saved every single person he was able to carry out of the hell there.It would be enough- a great feat- to make it out alone, but he made the way for them all.This is a great family.
I saw this documentary late last night on my local PBS station and was moved to tears. Your gift for getting your parents to talk about what happened and the obvious love between all of you is a joy to watch. Your story was very humbling and made me appreciate my life more. I am also an immigrant that came to this great country in 1963 but my story is nothing harrowing like yours except for shared poverty. The joyous celebration of life your family now enjoys in the United States once again reinforces my belief; this is the land of opportunity and the greatest country in the world. Yes, I often dream about my homeland and visit routinely but I'm always anxious to come back home to my life here in California.
i am so thankful that your documentary was channeled through kpbs. i only get three channels and i religiously watch kpbs. your documentary caught me mid conversation on the phone: i hung up on my friend as soon as i began to see famished pictures of refugee victims. i give you much credit for your efforts. i was lost in your story and felt that at times my emotions reflected the emotions portrayed in the film (powerful). i admire the strength it took and the creativity harnessed to create this film.
best,
adam
I was so deeply moved by you and your families personal story! The love and respect between your parents was such a joy to watch. I laughed and cried with you. Sobbing with you at your Aunts grave and laughing when you tell the cow to come back because your Dad's a Cowboy! It was inspirational and inspiring! Thank You for sharing something so personal!
Kim
I don't know where to begin. I happened upon your film while looking for something to watch at 2am. One thing caught my attention and within 30 mintues or so I was crying. Your father is an amazing man, I must say first off. He felt the need to help your mother in her situation of abandonment during an unbelievably horrific time because he was compassionate. How SO VERY AMAZING...AND they are still together. Secondly, I think we as Americans forget/negate the pain and suffering other people in other countries go through. As an African Americans, we suffered 400 hundred years of oppression, but we were not alone in the history of mankind; I think we forget that. Thank you for reminding me that we all have our scars, but we can make it through. YOur parents and the Cambodian people are examples of that. Thank you so much. And give your Dad a great big hug from me.
You really opened my eyes to a little better understanding of freedom. One particular comment made by Pa was that there was plenty of rice before the communists came. What a powerful, single sentence. We live in the greatest country on earth. Freedom. What a misunderstood word. Your parents and many others like them know what it is like to live without that. I for one have taken my rights as an American citizen for granted in the past. But of late, I have traveled to many different countries and there is none like ours. Im so glad your parents got to come here and prosper. You have a wonderful family and a wonderful story. Thank you for your work and giving your insight into this story. Both of your parents are heroes and you should be proud.
I wept and wept...such a touching story that made rethink the history of my own life. Thank you PBS
this film should be required watching, particularly for school children everywhere who are not being told the true story of the Cambodian communists. We as humans tend to forget awful things, and to also forget the lessions we should have learned..and he heroic things done by just regular folks like Pa. The failed system of a classless society as invisioned by the Khmer Rouge is still considered "ideal" by many in the world, and they attribute the systems failure only in that "the wrong people were leading the movement". They neglect to notice that the Cadre and Leaders were "more equal than the general population"....What a terrible time in the history of a beautiful and historic country. What a beautiful and personel film....Interesting side note...the refugee camps in Thailand are again full, only this time with people from the west...Burma...history repeats itself...
most touching moment for me while watching this documentary was the part when socheata's sister recounted the day her mum died. how the event did not hit her until she was washing her mum's clothes by the river bank. my mother passed away last year. i thought i was in full control of my emotions until after i recovered my moms possessions from the hospital she was staying in. thats when it hit me and i cried uncontrollably as i emptied the bag of her clothes and other possessions.
My husband and I just happened on this program and were totally entranced. What a touching, moving, heartfelt story. The bravery of her parents, especially her father, in not only escaping, but then returning with her. Thank you for sharing.
I cannot tell you how touching this film is. I am the daughter of Sikh immigrants who also experienced a great deal of oppression in India. As their child, I have always been able to connect on an intellectual level with what they went through, in as much as I could read and learn the history, but like so many who suffer at the hands of their governments, my family has been silent for so long. I found your film helped bridge the gap between the diaspora and its history in a very brave way. Thank you so much for your wonderful work.
Pa is my hero.
Socheata has certainly given me a huge gift by sharing her story. Her father is certainly one of the giants on this earth. His love and courage are amazing. As usual, the people who get most attention are moral midgets. Her father is one of the low keyed giants of the human race.
Socheata's two sisters, her brother, mother and father have suffered so much. Yet their humanity was not taken. They shine as deeply human people who certainly inspire me.
Thank you,
michael
I'm From Lima,Peru, and watched new year baby, wow what a wonderful story, very moving and sad, and I believe in destiny and to came from a story like that is a very humbling feeling, Ma and Pa's effort to keep their family together is just an amazing human drama, one of the best I,ve ever seen. Thanks for sharing your story it showed that we humans are very bless to have such power of loving one another without boundaries,classes or color.
i stumbled across this while looking for some videos to analyse for english.
and omg!! my older sister was born at the same refugee camp, on the same day, same year. what a big coincidence.
i asked my mum and she said that a lot of kids were being born at the time. i also asked her to watch it and she began reminiscing; recounting her past and it's quite moving. Now, living in Australia, i think my parents dont discuss their past because its hard for their high school daughter to comprehend the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge. But when i saw the "4million killed" i thought '20% of the Australian population' and wow has my perspective on my parents constant push to study changed.
one day i hope to go to cambodia, vietnam and thailand with my parents and sister.
What a life your family has endured, including yourself! I grew up in Germany and often wondered what it would be to be a survivor touring the concentration camps. I can only imagine the swell of emotion your father must feel when he walks through the haunts of his life. I was touched by his bravery in sharing the story of his life. I am sure my father has many secrets he doesn't share with us because, when asked, he is so vague and dismissive. The mysteries will likely always be there for us which is somewhat of a void. You are lucky to have that filled. Though some of the reality isn't so pretty, your parents ultimately found a need for one another and a love which only they will truly understand. Thank you for sharing your story, and thank you to your family for allowing you to share such intimate details with the viewers.
I want to thank Socheata for a truly moving story. I am blown away by your father's bravery. His courage taught me a great deal about what true love is. For children who were not his biologically, for a woman he was compelled to marry, he walked back and forth through mine fields and, afterwards, never told another soul of his amazing bravery. I don't know if I have the heart of a lion like he does and I must be thankful that I'll probably never have to find out. Congratulations on a great accomplishment. I won't forget your story.
Dear Socheata, thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this movie. My parents and I also lived in Thai refugee camps before coming to America although I have no memory of it. They never told me about their story until I got into college and even after 20 years, there is still so much pain left. Thank you for telling your story and for telling a part of every Cambodian's story.
Thank you Socheata for sharing your family history with the public. Your fearlessness is impressive. Thank you to the film makers, ITVS and everyone else who brought this story to PBS. It was very touching.
Socheata,
A wounderful and interesting film, it is never easy for a family to talk about painful memories espcially while filming the entire conversation. Well done. Many of my friends are Cambodian and over the years I have heard similar stories to your own. I have also found many of the older generation that survived the time of the Khmer Rouge to be just as reluctant as your parents to talk about their hardships. I believe it is important that stories such as yours are told. I have found that many of the younger generations, especially those born and raised in the U.S. have no compresension of the suffering their parents went through. Hopefully this film will make sure the past does not allow itself to be forgotten and burried.
Even after all of their hardships I have found Cambodian people to be some of the warmest and friendliest people I have met. Thank you for making this film.
I just finished watching your amazing film about your family and the Cambodian travesty. I am so impressed by your skill and sensitivity in being able to create such a heartfelt and honest, beautiful piece...you father is a hero...I fell in love with him immediately. I am amazed at the positive nature of your sisters and parents after all they had gone through. Thank you for sharing in such an honorable way.
Socheata,
I just finished watching your deeply moving film for the second time. I find that I am drawn into the tenderness, sadness, and most of all the absolute love of your family. Yours is a story of inspiration. It also makes me aware that I take way too much for granted.
I wish nothing but success and happiness for you and your family.
Beautiful! Honest! Courageous! A Gift! Your father's beauty made my heart ache - ache to be be fully human. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Socheata
Truly touching story. Your father reminds me of my father....quiet yet courageous while doing extraordinary things to keep his family together through unimaginable odds. Thanks for telling a very American immigrant story for many of us whose parents sacrificed so much to make our lives so much better. Your film was a beautiful way to honor your parents.
Dave Lo
I also was deeply moved by this film. The tragedy of Cambodia's past brought me near tears. I've grown up holding tears back in life, but in no way have I ever had to deal with such pain that talking about it wasn't an option. I was also touched by the way Socheata brought her family together to deal with a past, thought forgotten, she never knew but wanted to learn. It was a beautiful film. Their family's love has triumphed over something so unbelievable. I could only dream to have the strength and courage it took for them to continue living.
I also was deeply moved by this film. The tragedy of Cambodia's past brought me near tears. I've grown up holding tears back in life, but in no way have I ever had to deal with such pain that talking about it wasn't an option. I was also touched by the way Socheata brought her family together to deal with a past, thought forgotten, she never knew but wanted to learn. It was a beautiful film. Their family's love has triumphed over something so unbelievable. I could only dream to have the strength and courage it took for them to continue living.
A much-needed story to uncover what so many Asian & Pacific families have been through in years of foreign and civil wars, but is there no mention of the May 1970 bombing by Nixon of Cambodia which traumatized many of the anti-war late 60's generation? Also, check the interpretation in the book Pol Pot published a few years ago. I also want to give respect and acknowledgment to Dith Pran, who I met through Asian American Journalists Association, who just passed recently.
The United States has been involved in Hawaii, the Spanish-American War, the Philippines, World War II territories, Korean conflict, Vietnam, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Marshall Islands, Palau, Diego Garcia on the Chacos Islands, etc. etc. etc. Where is the historical analysis?
Such an amazing story ... thank you and your family to share with us. Even through humanity's worst face, your father still believe in Karma. Viewing the ending of your film, Karma must believed so as well, to shower him and your mother with such an abundent and happy family. Their life has come full-circle with your documentary and allowed the rest of the us, who are in the US from immigrant parents as well, to appreciate all that they overcame, allowing us a chance ... a chance at a safe and productive life. My best to you and your family.
I just finished watching your documentary, and it has touched my inner child. The spirit of your family is one that remarkable....the love, the committment and sorrow provides me with the strength to go on living my life as a survivor of child abuse.
Thank you!
"new Year Baby" is a Cambodian's effort to solve her family's secrets. It is a family story of how her family survived the Kmer Rougr disaster and injustice. No one knows why the Kmer Rouge of Cambodia mudered one-quarter of Cambodia's population were never brought to trial!
I was in French IndoChina from 1070-71 and feel a part of the tradegy "New Year Baby" is. At the Veterans hospital where I attend Group Therapy sessions, I share the disaster and tragedy of French IndoChina. This is all I can do.
What I hope for this Cambodian family is that they find peace and self-identification in solving their secret. At the end of the story, Buddhist monk does also wish ID and peace. Also, I hope the world will learn from this Cambodian family.
Socheata,
I just finished watching your documentary film and I was deeply touched. Through your amazing personal family story, your film touched, amongst other things, on personal agony, survival, hidden heroism, and survivors' shame as well as on the ordinary face of evil and the general question of retribution. Thank you.
My family lived in Cambodia from 1969 through 1971 and my brother and I went to school in Phnom Penn. Since the Khmer Rouge atrocities and the Cambodian people's tragedy became known to the world, I have often wondered what happened to the people we knew, the children that were sitting next to me at school, the many strangers we met on the roads... Parts of your film took me back in time and I could almost smell the special scent of the country.
Soch, Just got done watching you film. I loved it! You father is a remarkable man. He made me laugh and made me cry. It's pretty damn hard to get this cynical Texas boy to cry, let alone admit it! You done good darlin'! ;)
Chad C.
dear socheata, what an incredible homage to your parents and your family. pa and ma possess an inner strength and serenithy that is hard to understand much less believe. like many of the people who have written before me, again and again i was moved to tears while watching your film. you have created an incredible testimonial to a time that unfortunately is not in the worlds conscious. elie wiesel said "to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all" you are to be commended for your efforts. your documentation of the holocaust perpetrated by the khmer rouge should be should be part of the curriculum in all our schools. it was by chance that i was home tonight watching pbs. thank you for one of the most moving and touching films i have seen in some time. you are truly lucky as pa says in the film for you were born into an incredible family.
Socheata,
I was born Feb. 26, 1980, possibly in the same refugee camp in Kao Idang, Thailand. My parents escaped to Thailand as well, but not without losing two daughters to starvation. Needless to say, I called all my brothers and sisters to watch this when I came upon it one evening. I cried for your dad and my parents...just thinking about what they went through to get us to America. We were touched by the your relationship with your father as we know that affection is not always common in an Asian family. It's such a shame that not more people know about the Khmer Rouge regime and the millions of lives shattered because of it. The Khmer Rouge cadre that you and your father interviewed was pretty much still brainwashed because he was as detached from reality as he probably was in the 70s. I wish you much success in your endeavors and thank you for doing such a great job at sharing with the world your family's bittersweet story.
In support and admiration,
Pally Nop La
Atlanta, GA
I feel it is important that such travesties never be forgotten, nor should the sorrowful pain and outrage ever be allowed to soften. It is a great service to the world to champion this cause.
However, I was moved to find this website in order to find an outlet for the overflow of emotion I felt watching your family. After reading thru the too-numerous comments before mine, I feel there are few words, if any I can add. So I will leave it with this one conclusion: Your father is obviously a true hero. I am sure that he feels in his heart that you are too. It is obvious to me.
What an amazing film! I was so touched by the story of your family, like anyone who watched this film I cried. It is unbelievable that people could do this to one another. To see the old Khmer Rouge person not really accept responsibility is stunning. It is hard to see someone who did so much wrong enjoying his freedom and liberties that he denied to so many others.
But on the positive side it was just outstanding to see the way the layers of the story were peeled so that Socheata could understand her history. Ma and Pa are very special people and that is why they have been blessed with such an incredible daughter. From every scene I could comment on the thoughts it provoked or the feelings it inspired but I really had to write and let Socheata know her work was of the highest quality and to say thanks for sharing so much personal information. Ma and Pa deserve alot of thanks also because there was alot of pain brought back. Great moment when Pa saw his younger sister. If you didn't cry then check your heart. Thanks again. Rob
Socheata, you have created a moving, beautiful film. I laughed and cried throughout, as most all others have who have seen it as you wrote. It is such an honest and loving tribute to your family, and to the truth and hardship of their lives. I can't imagine how moving and emotional this film must be to those who lived through this time. Thank you for sharing such a moving story of your family, and of this time in history. This is one of the best films I have seen.
This was a great film! Thank you so much for sharing it. I actually took the time out of my movie I was watching with my boyfriend to see this when my cousin texted me and told me. I think you did a great job! I actually wonder about the history on my family as well. I was born here in Georgia and my family was all there and ran because of the war but thats all I know. I still actually have family in Cambodia that I've never met. Well once again, thanks for sharing. Keep in touch. I left you my email.
WELL DONE!! An exceptional documentary! Your parents and family members have a wonderful sense of humor and soft hearts. Your father made me cry many times as his emotions were exposed. I appreciate your family and their story. Thank you!
Socheata, you did a good job on presenting the history of Cambodia, especially the genocide's story. I really liked the way you explain Angka. I was laughing so hard when you interviewed your parents in the beginning. Your parents story was so similar to how my parents got marriage, and your father's answer was the same as my father's answer when I questioned him. Thank you for doing this film and sharing it with everyone. I would love to see you do more of the story. take care,
Pannha
I was so moved by your family history that I cried most of the hour.
Wow! Incredibly moving. I was drawn to watching this film accidently after flicking on the T.V very early in the morning, and being attracted to the film maker and narrator's gentle and reasonable sounding voice. What ensued, for me, was a roller coaster of emotions, partly catching me off-guard. I have so much respect and admiration for this family for their triumph over evil. What an inspiration they truly are. Thank you for making this beautiful film!
I watched this wonderful and touching film the other night. It is still on my mind. I learned a lot, cried a lot, and understand so much more since I was growing up in that time.
One of the most touching pictures was when the young women had her head on her father's shoulder after they went to see one of the camps and they were driving home.
Her love of her parents was so strong. She proved to be a wonderful and caring daughter. I can't say more - just that I want to buy the film and watch it again and then show it to my students.
Thanks so much.
Love to this family!!
Eileen Marotte Stone
This film was stunning. One of the most moving experiences in film I have ever known. I have been in Phnom Penh and made a pilgrimage to Tuol Sleng and Choeng Ek. My driver for the experience shared with me that he lived from age three to six in a forced labor camp, lost a sister to starvation and and physician grandmother to extermination. On my second visit I met his family and shared a meal with them. What the family wanted on the Human Rights trial was that the leaders own up to what they did and apologize for it. From the scenes with the Khmer Rouge camp administrator, it seems unlikely a recognition of wrongdoing will come. This film is an extraordinary accomplishment, a vehicle that viscerally connects then and now, a strong testament to the power of duty and love. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I found myself moved to tears of both joy and pain. The courage of this family, their commitment to eachother is inspiring. This commitment is somthing we rarely see today. Holding on in good and in bad for life. I felt deeply the sorrow her mother and father had held inside for all those years, and the daughter for the first time was able to share and in some way help carry their pain. I commend them on their bravery and their ability to look at something in their families past that is so dark and so evil and want to know more. In looking at our past and our families past we can take even the darkist of memories and turn at least part them into something beautiful. Like the beauty of a father and daughter hugging, comforting eachother and bonding. Thank you for sharing your world with me.
It's great to see that the Khmer genocide is not forgotten. My parents were in the Killing Fields and I could relate to how you felt. I still remember when my parents told me what they had to go through. Thank you for making this!!
Thank You!!! Your work is touching, thought provoking and couragous. Your family shows us all that love can triumph over any and all evil. I look forward to more of your work in the future. You have a wonderful gift that should be shared.
Namaste,
Randal B.
I thank you for sharing your story and your family. It so successfully reminds us that love and courage know no boundaries of ethnicity and culture; that all of humanity is alike in the important qualities; and, it gives me hope that the possibility of peace for mankind is possible.
I loved your movie. I knew nothing of the history of Cambodia prior to seeing this film. I love...love...loved your film. I cried.
I am awed by the beauty and courage of your family...the incredible whit and humor of your mother! Her commitment to family even after seeing it decimated, collected the pieces and put another back together. She would not leave without her nieces... Your sisters sheer will and silence to protect you from the pain of knowing and their birth mother, a true angel.
Your father, is now my personal "super hero." 8 times smuggling family in and out of Cambodia. This kind of courage can only show itself through the actions of a heart made up of the purest, deepest love.
Love has no beginning and no end. It is always there, we just have to be willing to find it sometimes. And, "New Year Baby" further proves that love has no limits. Your story is a gift to the world!
Our recent visit to Cambodia led us to people of the beautiful spirit that you so eloquently represent in our film. People who survived the horrors of denying who they were, yet have a grinding hope for the future. Thank you for sharing this exquisite piece on your family, your heritage, your journey. Those who harshly judge your mother may not have lived through such challenge and pain. Your father's beauty touched us deeply. May you keep producing these important films. Thank you. And thank you PBS.
This was a great documentary of how these people became a family. Ma & Pa should be very proud what there New Year girl has become. I think actualy it took alot of courage to even go back to a place they were able to break away from after what all they went through. I'm sure being able to see there relatives was a joyous time for all.
What a beautiful film! I had the wonderful opportunity to spen two weeks in Penom Penh, Cambodia last summer and had one of the most signifigant expieriences of my life so far. The Cambodians joy and hospitality is unbelievable! I was welcomed into peoples home without reservation, and assured by my hosts that had it been a meal time I would have recieved the best they had to offer. While I do strongly believe, that the leader of the Khmer Rouge should be punished for what they did, we could all take a lesson from these peoples lack of bitterness, her parent's wonderful senses of humor brought a thousand smiles to my lips.
I was deeply moved by Socheata's story and that of her precious family, especially having been to some of the places she visited in the film. When she stood in the room at Teul Sleng looking at the pictures, I remembered standing there, and like her being unable to do anything but look. Your thoguth become completely muddled when staring into the faces of those victims, I could not even cry. I pray for Cambodia and her people every time I think of them, and would encourage you to do the same. They are a beautiful people. Thank you PBS for showing this film.
I was 7 then. I could still recall bullets ripped through trees and branches falling as we ran holding each others' hands. This show brought back lots of memories that I am struggling to remember. Growing up in the States, I never really thought much of the Past. But, the older I get, the more I am starting to look back.
Oss koun, pa'oun!
I am so o o o o o moved by the courage of this young woman and filled with great sorrow for what this family endured.... she obviously has her strength and courage from her father...... I wonder if her mother realizes how "lucky" and blessed she is to have encountered this strong and directed person who is her husband...... it would appear she still thinks she is better than him because of her skin color and because she mixed with chinese.... I am amazed at her arrogance......
Nancy Chung Pendry
the women showed a unselfish dedication to holding the remaining family members together......and PA..... a quiet farmer who survived the death camps by being humble, "staying in the middle".....walked through minefields to Thailand then back again, four times!..... to save his new family....that is a profile in courage !!!
I had the pleasure of watching this beautiful film last summer. It was given to me by a family member. I have known this family for over fifteen years and they have all become very special people to our family. Mala and her husband moved in across the street from us sixteen years ago and even though they no longer live there we still stay in touch and they make us feel like part of the family each and every time we are together. I enjoyed each minute of the film and it made me understand a little bit more about where they came from and why they are such wonderful people.
This was very hard for me to watch, to see what happened in Cambodia. Growning up my best friends father was a physician, and him mother a RN, i recalled them taking serveral trips to cambodia out there to provide health care for the sick and hurt during this time. His mother would tell us stories , but nothing compared to what i learned in this documentry... I was absolutely in tears to know that a innocent people had to go through this.
Brilliant !!! Where was the world outrage during this regime????
Thank You so very much for having the fortitude to make this film. You were able to be the director/filmmaker/daughter, something that seems VERY difficult to do.
The story of Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge needs to be told. Most people in the US are probably unaware of the genocide that took place. People who lived through that nightmare should have their stories recorded to help make sure it doesn't happen again.
Wonderful, sensative, thought provolking film.
I was very deeply moved by your story . You did well Socheata. I know a family here in northern Indiana . The father was put in a labor camp and the mother and child somewhere else . She somehow got away with her daughter and came here . Then he escaped with some other men and went through many miles of swamps . He finally made it here in Indiana , but they were apart for about 7 years . Their daughter (kompet)"sp" is my nieces best friend . A friend of our family , who is a farmer , put them up in a house they had on a small lake in the area , and they lived there many years. I went to their house a few times to pick up my niece . The father knew english but the mother at that time did'nt . He would tell me how he fished in the lake , and she would show me the fish steaming in their pan.It was great to see they were doing well after such a struggle. I wish you well Socheata..... Your friend John
Beautiful. This story has touched me to my core. What a truly beautiful family; you have many lessons to teach us all. Thank you for sharing your story with me!
OH MY GOD! I was just bawling during this show! How touching. Imagine the sorrow that these parents lived with for years! We needed to see this to appreciate how great it is here and how lucky we are!
Frances Martin
I was so moved by the story, as a Kenyan living in the United States, I can't really express the effect the horrors of the election violence at the beginning of this had on me and my relatives. Socheata, as your father sat there talking to the Khmer Rouge official, I heard echos of the some of the "so called leaders" in Kenya. I understood your father's view of Cambodia, and could relate to your sisters not wanting to go back on the trip.
Thank you, and your family for making it personal. I am hopeful now after watching the movie. I understand.
I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATED THE DIRECTOR, BEAUTIFULL MOVIE, VERY TOUCHING AND INSPIRING..... YOUR FATHER IS AN AMAZING LOVING PERSON, I JUST SO HIS SOUL AND LET ME TELL YOU IT WAS A BLESS TO WATCH YOUR MOVIE LAST NIGHT BY INDEPENDENT LENS..... THE CARTOONS UAHU, UAHU,,,,,, PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE AN INPIRATION IN MY LIFE......THANK YOU.
JUAN PABLO
FROM COLOMBIA BUT I LIVE IN MIAMI. JEJEJEJEJEE
You weep from the enormity of love and sacrifice for one's family. A reminder of how many immigrants America has sheltered, only to be enriched so deeply from the culture and values they bring with them. I LOVE PBS!
Wonderful film, very touching and insightful. Should be shown in schools.
Thank you for continuing to make the film and not turn it into a "travel video." :) Very powerful.
Beautiful.
Thank you.
I caught this documentary on PBS last night by accident, just flipping through the channels. Once I started to watch it I couldn't stop. It was such a powerful story and so beautifully told. Thank you for sharing this with us and opening eyes to a horrific piece of history that should have more light shed upon it.
Inspiring, sad, shocking, amazing.... I only caught the last 20 minutes of the film but even with that it was the most soul stirring film I have seen. Thank you Ms. Poeuv for having the courage and drive to share this with us.
There can be absolutely no doubt that this film is one of the most provocative films I have seen yet.
Ms. Poeuv's family history is truly a portrait of the human struggle against tyranny and the will to survive against all odds.
Ms. Poeuv's father is finally given his due, as the hero, he truly is, saving his family from what could only have been eminent death had they stayed.
He was a gift to them by the God. Ms Poeuv inherited her fathers quiet and her shining is now throwing light onto his heroic deeds-it is amazing when you really think about it.
Just watched "New Years Baby" on Independent Lens. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I was touched by the people in the film and all that they had to go through. High marks for the film maker/author.
Yours truly,
Sally
I would like to say thank you for showing the film New Years Baby on Independent Lens. Ms. Poeuv made such a moving film about her family and their hardships under the Khmer Rouge. I have grown up watching PBS and I appreciate all that you do to broaden our horizons...to build understanding..Thank You.
I sat with a bowl of food to watch something "light", so I could unwind from a long day. I watched New Year Baby. No, it wasn't light, and I am glad.
I want to thank Socheata for making this very personal film. I was profoundly moved by the courage of each one of her family members. I was especially affected by the quiet heroism of her father. I cried when I saw the tenderness between the two of them. This kind of love is a precious, precious thing. So quiet, yet so powerful that even the most grievous acts of evil pale into weak nothingness in comparison. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I was so moved as I watched this story unfold. This family is truly an inspiration. The honesty and vulnerability of their story was humbling. Thank you for giving this family a platform and a voice that needed to be heard.
Brilliant! What a gift you have for telling this incredible story. I was so moved by your sensitivity towards your parents feelings and how hard the retelling of their journey must have been for them.
Thank you for sharing this with me and all who were able to watch last night's presentation. I hope PBS will run this again soon.
I had been questioned by many of my college and friends about Cambodia genocide, but never could explain the complexity of it. My family had never spoken of the pass, but now I understood why. It reminds me of a book I had read, "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell, the objective of 'Big Brother' are watching you. This film had been such an overwhelming experience and deeply touched. Thank you for making this remarkable film.
What a touching film! Very, very well done. I would think the Cambodian people would benefit from seeing those who did such wrong to them be punished. Nothing can be gained by trying to forget such deep wounds. I love that ultimately the film was a story of family and love and truimph. I hope the filmaker goes on to do many more wonderful and important works.
I prefer to learn history through personal stories like this, so thank you for a wonderful film that made me cry, laugh and want to hug your family! As far as a war tribunal for Khmer Rouge leaders...maybe, if it will educate the world of what happened, so we can learn to prevent such crimes again. But it continues today in other countries anyway, so I'm not sure if it will be enough.
I would definitely support anything that brings the Cambodian people peace, understanding and acknowledgment of their heritage. Just to listen to their stories... we can all do that and start from there.
I worked with Mala many years ago and I remember her telling me some of her life's stories. How amazing to see it on film. I was very moved by this documentary. Thank you for telling this personal and touching story. Best wishes to the family and much continued success.
Great Job Socheata! This was very informative, heart-wrenching and precious. My husband and I just happened upon your documentary last night... We stayed up much past our normal bed time to see it all. Thank you for opening our eyes!! I am so happy for Pa the Cowboy and Ma, too. We were even more delighted to find you are our DFW neighbors. We will be looking for more films from you! Best Wishes!!
I cannot thank you enough for airing this film. I want to thank the family for allowing us into their personal lives for the evening. I was sad to see that there was racial issues about papa being a "dark man". That surprised me. I learned a lot from this film about the culture. I think it should be shown in middle and high schools in the United States. So many of the kids here have an attitude with their parents of entitlement. They have the "I WANT THIS AND I WANT IT NOW AND IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WILL GET IT FOR ME!" disease. They should see how people live in other countries. My brother served in Viet Nam, but I had no idea in my ignorance of what the Khmer Rouge was. The person who served for them did not seem to have any regrets over what he had done during that period and my mind went to the Holocaust in comparison.
I cried when the filmmaker got to go through the traditional ritual that she missed out on at birth. How sweet that was to witness. I want to say thank you again for opening my eyes and please tell your mama and papa to hug and kiss more and play more. They should be so very happy that they have each other. That is such a Blessing from Above.
Julie Schaumburg, IL
Thank you for this amazing work. I found your family's story to be captivating and emotionally powerful. The bond between you and your father is especially poignant. I connected also with your dad's bravery and honor not to mention his sense of humor.
Wow – what a wonderful, redemptive film. The Nazi holocaust and the Killing Fields have much in common … the evil and inhumanity are rampant in both. But so is the heroism and courage of regular people like ‘Ma’ and ‘Pa’. Socheata, if I met your parents we’d probably run out of conversation very quickly but just let your father know that when he trekked back and forth from Thailand to Cambodia he brought back a small part of us with each and every step.
I watched 'New Year Baby' on Independent Lens, wondering if I would see the story that I had heard many times, 28 years ago, when I was a medical technition along with many others, helping to set up a medical field laboratory in a refugee camp in Thailand. When Socheata and her father walked the path that led to Khao-I-Dang, the refugee camp where I had worked in 1970-80, it was an emotional trip for me as well. Many of the people from the refugee camp came to the hospital wards where we worked, alongside medical workers from all over the world. We saw the people streaming into the camp every day; men, women, children, and babies, all escaping from Cambodia after several years of hardship and starvation. We heard many of their stories and wept with them. We could hear fighting and see explosions from the Thai home, just a few kilometers from the Cambodian border, where we stayed at night. Each day, we would be taken through military checkpoints to the Khao-I-Dang refugee camp to work. Some of the people drew pictures and some put on plays in the camp showing us what had happened to them. Some wrote letters for us to take back home, hoping that we would find relatives, or sponsors. One fellow, who helped us in the lab, wrote his story in English, for me to have. It was very similar the the movie, 'The Killing Fields'. I loved Socheata's story and how she patiently and gently encouraged her parents to talk about their history and share their experience with their family and all of us watching the film. My time working overseas in Thailand was my first third world experience and it opened my eyes as to how fortunate many of us are and how we need to be more aware of what is happening in the world, and to get involved. Thank you for putting this film on Public T.V. and I hope that many people will watch and learn and become more involved, however and wherever they can.
Absolutely a beautiful movie. There needs to be more investment in and coverage of such films.
Thank you for a very moving film and an opportunity to meet a wonderful family. Not only did this film remind us of the genocide of millions but it also took us on an emotional journey back to Socheata's roots. This was a film which let us view how people perserve after an unimaginable act against human beings. I found the most beautiful part of this movie to be Mr Poeuv's (Pa) humble nature, open heart, and the love for his family. Ma's statement that Pa shared her opinion that darker color skin is less beautiful than someone with lighter skin is to the contrary. He cannot be a more beautiful person where it counts; a good father and an honorable human being.
Incredible film! I was completely drawn in and amazed at what this family had to go through. It's not anything I've ever learned in school. How wonderful to see the success her parents achieved as a result of their commitment to their family. More people need to see this film to learn about history. Thank you for showing this documentary.
What a great story! I was moved by the father's devotion to his family and their courage and will to survive so much horror. I would be proud to have such a caring and exquisitely beautiful daughter. Thanks so much for sharing your story. America is blessed to have your family here and I hope we always show it.
Wow! Fantastic!
Thank you for this wonderful documentary! The animations were also very moving. I think that many in my Long Beach community will be touched by this, and hopefully it will help the second-gen Cambodian Americans to reach into their parents' past and start the healing.
I enjoyed this show. Excellent. I learned a lot.
This was such a warm and touching story of a wonderful family overcoming so many obstacles. Socheata, you did a marvelous job in showing the strength of your parents, you should be proud.
Thanks for bringing us this story. I too was born in a Thailand labor camp on May 16, 1980. I have not received the entire story of my parents and brother's time in the labor camp and their eventual escape to Thailand. Seeing this story and how apparent it seemed that bringing their past to light strengthened the inter-relationships of the family. It is inspiring and fills me with the desire to ask my parents more about what they went happened.
As far as your question about how Cambodians should move on. It is difficult to come up with an answer as I feel so detached from what had happened to so many Cambodians. I too feel like the "lucky" one as I was born after the extreme hardships my family went through. I feel affected in some way but it feels so mild in comparison to what the rest of my family has experienced. But with how much time has elapsed and Pot Pol passing way, shouldn't the people move on? Perhaps it is too easy for me to say this as my family now lives in the U.S. and seems at peace. We are happy and have things that we could not have if we still were in Cambodia. I believe time will heal the people whether criminal justice is served or not.
This young woman's story was very touching; her parents heros. The capacity of the Cambodians to forgive and forget the terrible tragedy of the Kmer Rouge is the right attitude to support and is a great lesson for all people to emulate...the Godly thing to do.
Moving Film, I admire your families story and I admire your discipline to start and finish this film so that people like my self can be motivated to be a better Human and to help others be a better Human....
Thank you, and your family, for allowing you to make such a powerful documentary. Your imagery, especially the black birds flying away from their lives, was insightful and moving. And. Your parents are above the usual adjectives one would use...such words fail before the quiet, enduring strength of your Mother and Father and the sacrifices they made to preserve their family. To show, yet again, the profound tenacity of this bond. Theirs is a love of no words, but strongly abiding before all.
The Prime Minister is incorrect. No one should be allowed to hide behind a dictator or a word when their actions have caused so much loss of life. If not addressed, the wound continues to prevent healing. If he needs a good example of dealing with the injustices of previous times, he need look no further than Nelson Mandela. The Khmer Rouge you interviewed is not absolved of his crimes by "forgiving" himself. He could not once look your Father in the face. He may escape justice in life, but the hereafter will be dire for him and his kind.
Am seared by the fact that our species is so capable of such atrocities unto even the present.
Thank you, again. And I wish for you and your family the words spoken in the birth ceremony.
Great film! Your story was very educating and touching. Following your parent’s hesitation to talk about their marriage was brilliant. Your father is a great man for his efforts to free your family.
Thankyou PBS, thankyou Socheata! A truely beautiful, moving film. My hope is that many, many people get to see this film...stirring up emotion, education and most importantly.....healing, along with justice! Well done!
Thank you so much. I could feel the love between you and your wonderful father. I was touched.
BL
Kudos for a beautifully done, moving film. It offers an insightful, personal window into a history that many of my generation would not know except through a movie like "Killing Fields" or scarce bits of oral history. I think the movement for a truth & reconciliation type of forum is a positive alternative to a punitive tribunal to help survivors come to terms with what happened and help them shape the telling of this history. Thanks to PBS & Independent Lens.
Touching, moving, inspiring...What courage from this family to go back and touch their painful pasts. If only the Khmer Rouge understood what could happen (again) were everyone to forget. I applaude the Cambodian government for maintaining the painful history as a reminder to their youth and lost families who fled, that they can get over their pain but through it all they will never forget. Thanks for this documentary and glimpse at world history - not so long ago.
I wanted to thank Sacheata Poeuv and her family for sharing their beautiful and poignant story through this documentary. I was greatly moved by it, by the courage of your parents and family through out everything they went through, and I am thankful to learn something of the people of this country and what they have suffered. I feel I am better for having seen this documentary. Thank you.
Very touch by this great film even more since I visit Cambodia last February. I have mix feeling about bringing Kmer Rouge leaders to court, personnally I think it would be a good thing so people who get involve in war crime in the future have to think that they may end up in court for their crime. At the same time, the Kmer Rouge wounds are still open in Cambodia and people are still trying to get their life on track and it may reopen old wounds.
The Kmer genocide should not be forgotten but vengeance is not a Buddhist way of life. I think I will let the Cambodians choose for themself on that subject.
The prime minister may want to “dig a hole to bury the past” but I think he would like to dig a hole and bury his own past.
This documentary is unlike any other I have seen. It was genuine and done through our eyes, not that of a foreigner peering into the darkest period of Cambodian history. I too was born in a refugee camp in Thailand after my parents fled. It is hard for my parents to talk about their survival under the Khmer Rouge. I thank your parents and especially your father for publicly showing his pain and humbleness.
This was one of the most moving pieces I have seen on Independent Lens. Ever since I saw "The Killing Fields" I have been fascinated with the Khmer Rouge. It is just so hard to comprehend the human suffering that can be caused by other humans. One human and you think there was just something wrong with them. But an entire country? I don't think I well ever understand it but watching this family relive it just tore my heart out!
I found this a touching and informative portrayal of how political or military decisions can change a society so directly. A very personal story which reveals so much humanity. Many thanks for the production of this family's story, which I feel anyone could relate to. It was excellent.
Its never a good idea "to dig a hole and bury the past", as suggested by the Cambodian prime minister. You know the old saying, "Those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it."
I grew up in a small town in the Texas Panhandle where many Cambodian refuge families lived. I didn't understand their lives and why they were so different. I was always curious, but no one was talking. This amazing documentary has answered so many questions in such a poignant way. Through this documentary, I have learned about so many families I grew up with. I was angry for my friends and what their families survived. I laughed with, cried with, and cheered for the film maker and her family. Thank you for sharing your family with me and so many others.
This is an incredible film experience. I just finished watching it on KERA, the Dallas, Texas pbs channel. My face is still wet with tears, dispite the grin I had watching the wedding cake celebration. Thank you Independant Lens and PBS for sharing this family's experiences. I feel very humbled by the courage, determination, and heroism of this Cambodian family.
Thank you so much for this insightful documentary. My husband survived the Khmer Rouge genocide but lost many family members in Cambodia. I have always wanted to learn more about this horrifying history to gain a better understanding of his past. Thanks to PBS and Independent Lens for giving us the opportunity to learn more about this.
A sensitive and beautiful portrayal of survival. A strong feeling of deja-vu gripped me when I watched the expressions on the face of Pa at the camp and in talking to the former Khmer leader. So many stories my parents told me of their years in the POW camp in Indonesia in the 40's, similar facial expressions of the fear, degradation and most of all the hunger. To this day, it is ingrained in me, I cannot throw away rice, the staple of Asia. I commend the filmmaker, and encourage the younger generation to continue to document and film attrocities committed in war and oppression everywhere in the world, both past and present.
An excellent and moving documentary film. I greatly admire the film maker for tracing her roots and making a strong bond with her family in the process. I cried while watching her dad go through the emotions remembering the past in the last 10 minutes of the film. This type of work hopefully will inspire people to be more compassionate to one another. Thank you PBS for bringing this quality work to a wider audience.
Thank you so much for showing this remarkable film. I have never cried so much watching any other film before. Being that my parents were also refugees, but from Vietnam, this film connected to me on an extremely personal level. It has given me insight into situations I could not begin to imagine. Insights into the struggles my own family went through to give us a better life. Thank you Love Joy Pardon for successfully taking on such an immense project, and bringing to life a history that should not be forgotten.
What a haunting story...I'm still crying. Films like this can capture a "darkness past" in a way nothing else can. But, perhaps more importantly, this film captures the very antithesis of darkness: the love of a father/husband for his daughter/family. They are all very "lucky" indeed.
I love this film! In 1982 I taught Cambodian children in Houston, recent arrivals to Texas. I do not think I fully realized how close they were to the horrors she describes in the film. I have never forgotten those sweet children, who now must now be about the age of this talented young filmaker. I hope they have been as successful as she has been--and will continue to be! This film is beautiful, fascinating, and what a wonderful tribute to her parents. Thank you!
I cried for who the family once was, and for whom they have become. The love and dedication of generations.
The gentleness of the father, daughter love, moved me to tears. The respect this young film maker has for her siblings and parents should be taught to the masses. Brilliant film! Thank You PBS and Independent Lens.
I loved this film, I love this family to have to endure so much and are still together as a loving family and to have such a loving Ma And Pa. This film touched my heart and thankful you are doing well in America. Hugs to each and everyone of you
Congratulations Socheata, you have achieved what I could not get out of my father before his death, the truth. My father was a 17 year old Filipino guerilla living in the mountains during the Japanese occupation of the Phillipines. As much as I tried, I could not get him to tell me exactly what happened to him during that period, other than my aunts were raped and murdered. Perhaps it was because his best friend later in life was Japanese and went to college with to become engineers. I still don't know if I have other siblings alive in the Phillipines. At least Socheata your father is alive to see your success and the success of you family. My son will attend Stanford University this summer, my father would have been so proud.
Thank you so very much to PBS and this wonderful family for sharing their story. I was so moved by their love, bravery and stregnth and the touching way their talented daughter brought their story to the screen. It made me smile, cry and pray for all those who are still dealing with the aftermath of the khmer rouge.
Thank's so much to PBS and Independant Lens. This story reached out and touched my heart in a specail way. I have traveled many times to that part of the world and seen many things, most people are not aware of. The brave people of this family allowed us to share a rare moment with them to better understand the world we never dare to see.
Thanks for sharing your story. It is a truly unique and moving American Story. It proves that what binds us together is greater than what drives us apart.
What a gift you have given us. To open our eyes and hearts more deeply. And your filming, questions, and approach to this sensitive subject were completely compelling. I was riveted to the screen the entire hour. Not one moment of distraction. Your parents worked to give you freedom, joy, and the loving heart you can't help but share through your films. They are blessed by their goodness, and as you said, no one could take it from them. Thank you for this testimony of the divine in humanity, greater than the darkness which tries to consume us, at times so grossly. Thank you for sharing this amazing story of strength, loyalty; thank your parents for us all, for allowing this glimpse.
I just finished watching this. What a wonderful outcome to such a long journey. Best wishes to you and your family.
I was moved by this movie. What this family lived through is atrocious and incredibly sad. This young woman has much to be proud of. I was moved by her father and by his love for her and of his honor in taking a wife, and children- being responsible for them at the risk of his own life. Also, for her mother to be forced to marry a stranger and begin a life with him regardless of her feelings. Still, it seems sad that these two people who have so much history in common have a rather lonely married life. They have embraced the American culture, but still it seems as if her mother still holds on to the belief that she is in a different, better "class" than her father. It is my prayer that this couple will grow closer and will share the intimacy that marriage can give in a way that is fulfilling and honors one another. As for the young woman who made this documentary and for her family, I pray for peace and happiness.
The love they show in such real ways & hard emotions really brought the story together . If more story tellers could show more true emotion i think their work would be taken to a higher level. It is so refreshing to feel the story & be sucked in to the raw emotion that is being displayed. I fell in love with Socheata Poeuv, as a fellow human being.
Thank you .
T.G.Marshall
I don't usually watch PBS, but in channel surfing, I caught an animated segment, along with the frank and compassionate narration. I was hooked. What a beautiful portrayal of a deeply personal family history amidst an timeless atrocity. The khmer rouge official stated that he'd forgotten so much. Because of this documentary, we cannot say the same. Thank you.
As a black american in my 20s and youngest daughter, this documentary touched me so much. I can't believe what a modest and honorable man the filmmaker's father is. I will never forget him or his story, he's become sort of like a beacon of inspiration for me...timid, yet very strong and courageous. And though Cambodia is far from being able to bury the past, I think that this was a very healing step for the family and I wish them continued healing.
This film was brilliant. Not to trivialize the story in any way but this one definitely wowed me. Thank you for sharing your story and thank you for sharing it in such a creative and artistic light.
I've always wanted to learn more about what happened in Cambodia during the time of the Khmer Rouge and this film helped answer a lot of questions. I really enjoyed the combination of storytelling, home video footage and animation. And the family was so touching. I want to give them all a big hug.
I cried throughout this film because your father's deep love for you is so strongly and silently apparent. He must be so very proud.
what a beautiful family! your mom and dad ,they're gold! a VERY good story.
Such a moving and powerful story and one that needs to be told. I cried through much of the film. I hope that your parents can recognize what an amazing gift they have given to the world, raising three children and teaching them the value of family. Their love led them to hold this traqic story from you and your film has opened the door to freedom, knowledge and understanding for your family and all who see it.
Socheata's story was captivating. I could feel the love in this family. I very much enjoyed the film. Well done.
Thank you. What a gift for Americans to recieve.
A beautifully portrayed portrait of your family that I just viewed on PBS in Philadelphia! Wonderful job! My husband and I have worked with refugees for 35 years and 22 of those with a special Cambodian family in our midst who also watched tonight. We fortunately visited Cambodia in 1999 which brought such greater understanding of the culture and people. I salute you for what you have accomplished since you arrived in the US and highly commend you on your pursuit of future documenting! You have my best wishes for the future of your family!
Thank you so much for sharing your family's story. It was so moving I felt the need to tell you on this website and I don't usually do this type of thing. It brought back memories of a young Cambodian family that I remember that my home church took care of when I was a little girl (i.e. a trailer, food, clothes, etc.) I can still picture the little girl's face that I befriended.
I went through Boot Camp with a fellow Marine who was a refugee. This film touched me deeply. I will never forget your story. Thank u so much.
This was by far the highlight of my day. Loved seeing such a beautiful picture of what true love really is in spite of such difficult circumstances. Excellent story.
My breath is taken away. Thank you so much for making this film. The world is a better place because of people like you and your family. I could feel the quiet strength of your father from thousands of miles away. I wish you and your family long life, peace and happiness. It is truly deserved.
This is a wonderful film. The filmmaker's grace and courage in bringing this story to us reflect the same qualities in her parents which allowed them to survive and triumph over another horrendous "never again" situation created by humans against humans. Her project to allow many Cambodians to tell their stories and educate their children is just what is needed. We all need to acknowledge and understand how these terrible events come about so that we can somehow prevent them from recurring. Please continue to support and distribute this film as widely as possible.
This Independent Lens was so moving and well done. Thanks so much for taking us through the journey with this young woman. It brought me to tears.
This was amazing!! I am so thankful for wonderful pieces of work like this!! We need more like it!! Thank you so much!
Exquisite is a perfect adjective for this documentary. Lowell High School serves almost 4000 students, a significant percentage of whom are of Cambodian descent. They and their teachers should watch this film. It beautifully presents the tension that immigrants and their children feel and think about. The fact is that much was lost in Southeast Asia as the Khmer Rouge worked to destroy the will of so many. Another fact is that an industrial city in the Northeastern U.S. and another in southern California gained a great deal.
Indeed a remarkable family! I became aquantied with this family through my Mom,Melva Gunn. She was one of Mala and Leakena's teachers when they first came to Carrollton. She has spent many days with this family and has many fond memories of them. Congratulations on your fine film and much continued sucess to you. Hugs to all the family!! We are so proud of all of you!
Carole&Mrs.Gunn
Thank you so much PBS for showing this film. The recent cyclone in Burma has finally brought international attention to a situation very similar to that of the Khmer Rouge's oppression. This makes this film even more timely and important.
Thanks for this great documentary and thanks to PBS and Independent Lens for giving it the national coverage it needs. As a second generation Khmer like the director I feel that this documentary should have been made a lot sooner. Just watching the trailer I could see the similarities of the situation with second generation refugees. I look forward to seeing this in the States with my whole family, thanks again.
Bravo, this film is exquisite. It touched me deeply. The process in which the firm was built was very creative and artistic. The documentation of the story was beautifully portrayed. I cryed, smiled and was totally absorbed in every detail of the film. What an incredible family. Thank you for bringing it to your viewing audience. I adore "independent lens".
 |
 |
