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Journalists get a guided tour of totalitarianism in ‘Meeting with Pol Pot’

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Rithy Panh, a French-Cambodian filmmaker, frequently attributes his career in cinema to the horrific Khmer Rouge regime that took the lives of his family and forced him into exile. While not all of his films directly tackle this tragic era, when they do – like his Oscar-nominated 2013 documentary “The Missing Picture” – there’s a palpable sense of a vast mosaic being constructed, comprised of devastation, aftermath, and remembrance. This intricate artwork is never truly complete but continues to be elaborated upon.

His latest production is the meticulously crafted and tension-filled historical drama “Encounter with Pol Pot,” released last year in Cannes. Unlike personal accounts, it fictionalizes a real event that coincided with his childhood trauma – the Khmer Rouge inviting a group of Western journalists to observe their claimed agrarian paradise and interview their enigmatic leader known as “Brother No. 1.” However, even this diplomatic visit in 1978 couldn’t conceal the brutal reality from its attendees, a truth that Panh skillfully portrays both through the perspective of a growing horrified observer and that of a long-afflicted victim.

In the film, Irene Jacob plays Lise, an intrepid French reporter, who mirrors real-life American journalist Elizabeth Becker. Her character is based on Becker’s experiences in Cambodia as documented in her book “When the War Was Over.” This book inspired the screenplay written by Rithy Panh and Pierre Erwan Guillaume. Lise teams up with Alain, a Maoist professor played by Grégoire Colin, who is quick to boast of his past connections with some of their hosts as fellow revolutionary students in France. The character of Alain is loosely based on British academic Malcolm Caldwell. Alongside them is photojournalist Paul (Cyril Gueï), who shares Lise’s curiosity and eagerness to uncover the truth, particularly about the rumors surrounding the disappearance of intellectuals.

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Through sound, rhythm, and visuals, Panh skillfully sets a tense, precarious atmosphere of formal hospitality that appears fragile and on the verge of breaking down. From the ominously tranquil initial shot of this small French delegation standing solitarily on a scorching, empty tarmac to the peculiar, authoritative politeness they encounter through their guide Sung (Bunhok Lim), it’s clear that life is being orchestrated for their microphones and cameras, with armed, expressionless teenagers serving as guards. The cinematography of the film, framed in squares like a staged newsreel, is another nuanced detail; one can almost picture Panh refusing widescreen to avoid reinforcing this oppressive regime’s self-perception of its own righteous greatness.

In my opinion, as a film critic, this movie initially presents a captivating Potemkin village, meticulously crafted to deceive. However, Alain appears to be the only character oblivious to the disinformation, almost embracing it wholeheartedly – that is, until his furtive glances betray a growing unease.

As Lise persistently challenges the facade of this supposedly idyllic society, the tension escalates. But when Paul daringly escapes his watchers and ventures into the unknown, the atmosphere takes a chilling turn. The ensuing search for him is frantic, filled with an undercurrent of menace that leaves Lise on edge. This shift transforms the movie into a gripping prison drama, where the trio’s mysterious interrogator emerges as a looming warden, capable of deciding their fates at will.

Journalism faces greater peril today than ever before, as exemplified by the film “Meeting with Pol Pot.” This compelling production serves as a stark reminder of journalism’s worth – along with its inherent risks – in challenging deceptive facades. However, this thought-provoking film also showcases the director’s sensitive artistic perspective on the devastating events that have shaped his aesthetic vision. This is particularly evident when he uses his handmade clay figurines to depict horrific events or incorporates archival footage, seemingly to bridge the gap between representation and truth.

Power masks its wrongdoings behind propaganda, yet Panh exposes these lethal deceptions vividly, presenting them in a truthful manner, resonating with depth.

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2025-06-21 01:31

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