By Ryan Oliver Po – April 1, 2013
Passionate about having Cambodian culture represented on film, Daron Ker, has produced and directed Rice Field Of Dreams (RFOD) a documentary about the nation’s first competitive international baseball team.
The director takes us on a journey marked with passion, hope and
collective national spirit as the young men who previously only toiled
in the paddies are now able to make real a new dream.
The film focuses on Khmer Rouge refugee Joe Cook, founder of the
team, as he rallies his players to compete in the 24th Annual Sea Games –
the South East Asian equivalent of the Olympics.
The documentary is screening April 5 and 7 at the Eleventh Annual Oakland International Film Festival. AsianWeek had a chance to talk to the San Francisco based filmmaker about what it was like to film in Cambodia and his upcoming projects.
Are there any particular social rules or cultural nuances
which made it easier or harder to film in Cambodia in contrast to
filming in the United States?
Well, actually there is a huge difference shooting in Cambodia or the
US. Since the film industry does not exist in Cambodia, there are no
rules, restrictions, or guidelines to follow. You are pretty much on
your own. With that said, I feel more creative working in Cambodia
knowing that I don’t have to worry about the hassle of permits,
restrictions, etc.Here in the US, there are a lot of rules and regulations that you need to go through before actually making a movie. Sometimes, that gets very frustrating. But the upside of making a film in the US are lots of resources and the talented crews you can collaborate with.
There are pros and cons to each side.
Daron Ker
Well number one, there’s no film industry in Cambodia. The films that are being made there now are terrible. There’s no sense of storytelling or story structure. I don’t think it’s their fault at all. It’s because they haven’t had the support, education or opportunity to learn. When the opportunity does arise, I truly believe that Cambodian filmmakers will start to make great films.
Now, the film industry is very strong here in the US. There are great film schools including University of Southern California, Tisch School Of the Arts at New York University, and American Film Institute which help prepare you for the industry – Hollywood.
Are there any interesting tidbits or stories that were not included in this documentary?
More highlights of the team members’ daily lives, living and growing up in the village.
What is your next project?
My next project is a narrative feature titled Holiday In Cambodia, slated for production later this coming year. HIC is a film that’s very close to my heart and completing its script took me over a decade. The film tells the story of a young Cambodian living in America who is deported back to his homeland.
My next project is a narrative feature titled Holiday In Cambodia, slated for production later this coming year. HIC is a film that’s very close to my heart and completing its script took me over a decade. The film tells the story of a young Cambodian living in America who is deported back to his homeland.
I hope that HIC does well in introducing the beauty of my culture to audiences worldwide.
Lastly, what do you hope to accomplish in the future?
I want to reconnect to my roots and give back to my country. Teach
and inspire the next generation of young filmmakers in Cambodia, how to
tell great stories through the magic of film.
RICE FIELD OF DREAMS SCREENINGS (running time is 75 minutes)
FRIDAY APRIL 5th @ Oakland Cultural Center
2:15 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.
6:35 – 8:00 p.m. - Followed by question and answer session with Filmmaker.
9:00 – 10:25 p.m.
SUNDAY APRIL 7th @ San Leandro Performing Arts Center
2:25 – 3:50 p.m. - Followed by question and answer session with filmmaker.
TICKETS:
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