Film showing and discussion with Thavro Phim -October 4th, 4:15 PM, Place/TBA.
Cosponsored by the Solomon Asch Center for the Study of Ethnopolitical Conflict
This hour long film by Janet Gardner documents the story of Thavro Phim, who came of age under the Pol Pot regime and lost many of his close family members to the genocide inflicted by the Khmer Rouge. During this horrific period, nearly 90 percent of the dancers were executed or died of starvation or disease. His Buddhist faith and his dedication to the study, performance, and teaching of Cambodian classical dance, particularly his representation of Hanuman, the magical white monkey are key in surviving and finding his identity. The film includes footage of dance as it struggled to survive in the prisons, the refugee camps and as it emerged after the downfall of the Khmer Rouge. In the film, we also learn about Yale’s Cambodian Genocide Project and see Thavro return to Cambodia to find his remaining family and teachers.
