Davy Chou

Davy Chou

Davy Chou in Shanghai, 2010
Born 1983
Nationality French
Occupation artist, filmmaker

Davy Chou (Khmer: ដាវី ជូ) is a Cambodian-French filmmaker born in 1983. He is the grandson of Van Chann, a leading producer in Cambodia in the 1960s and 1970s. Van Chann secretly disappeared in 1969 and was considered one of the foremost Cambodian producers of that time.[1]

Career

The Twin Diamonds and Golden Reawakening Exhibition

In 2009, Davy Chou created film workshops with six universities and 60 students, and helped found, a youth-drive filmmaking collective, Kon Khmer Koun Khmer (កុនខ្មែរ កូនខ្មែរ, Khmer Films Khmer Generations). He was the producer of a suspense film which was directed by the students, Twin Diamonds. After the suspense film, Davy and Kon Khmer Koun Khmer spearheaded the first film exhibition about films from the 1950s and 60s. Considered as the first 9-day festival of its kind, it screened 11 films from the period and exhibited film posters, photographs as well as biographies of the leading stars of the time at the Chinese House, a restored colonial building near Phnom Penh's port. Davy Chou also found out during his studies and research in Cambodia that between the 1950s and 1960s, more than 400 films were made.

Golden Slumbers

Between 2010 and 2011, he moved to Cambodia in search of the surviving witnesses (professionals, spectators, buildings) of the golden age of Cambodian cinema between 1960 and 1975, and found out that nearly 400 films were destroyed or lost under the Khmer Rouge regime. He interviewed actress Dy Saveth and filmmakers Ly Bun Yim, Yvon Hem (who died on August 10, 2012) and Ly You Sreang.

The 100 minute documentary resulted from the memories of Cambodian veteran film makers and actresses/actors, and it was called Golden Slumbers in English; in Khmer, ដំណេក មាស, Dâmnek Meas, which was released in France on September 19, 2012 and has been screened in many countries. [2] Golden Slumbers brought back many memories of Cambodia's pre-Khmer Rouge film industry and inspired youth-drive revival of 1960s and 70s cinephilia. In the video documentary, Davy Chou explored Cambodia's cinematic heritage,[3] and showed the struggle of the country's filmmakers as they weather political turmoil and then critical-mass neglect of their work.[4]

Memory Film Festival

In 2013, Davy Chou came back to curate and coordinate Asia's first heritage film festival in Phnom Penh. Chou's participation in the film industry in Cambodia is known for starting the interest from a younger Cambodian generation of filmmakers and filmgoers.[5]

Filmography

References

  1. ↑ "Young Cambodians salute golden era of 1960s filmmaking". DPA. 2009. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  2. ↑ Emilie, Ton (August 2, 2011). "CINEMA – Retour à l'âge d'or du septième art khmer". Le Petite Journal. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  3. ↑ Rosa, Ellen (June 7, 2013). "Poster children for the golden era of Khmer film". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  4. ↑ Tsui, Clarence (May 29, 2013). "Cannes Winner Rithy Panh Launches Heritage Film Festival in Cambodia". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 22, 2013.
  5. ↑ Tsui, Clarence (May 29, 2013). "Cannes Winner Rithy Panh Launches Heritage Film Festival in Cambodia". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 22, 2013.


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