The saddest thing about when something or someone passes out of existence is how quickly the world moves on in its wake. It is the same with culture. Once those that practice ancient ways stop or have not apprentices to pass on the teaching, an art dies, a language dies, and we that are left walk in a world too careless and reckless to give a damn. So, it’s a ray of sunshine through the gloom when a heartfelt tale of a struggle against allowing an art form to vanish from the Earth arrives. Allow me to talk about Respoken.
In true Herzogian fashion, filmmakers Sidney Ken and Thaiphirun Hul document the fears, faith, and fierce devotion of Lakhon Niyeay (Spoken Theatre) performer and champion: Sreyleak Chan, who fell in love with the art form at an early age, now has to fight to preserve its existence in order to enjoy a legacy. This form of Cambodia’s spoken drama all but diminished following the genocide of the Khmer Rouge. With more effort and attention to musical theatre and dance, those who taught the art of the spoken performance suffered great anguish and heartache as student interest also dwindled. Its relevance appears to be doomed.
“This form of Cambodia’s spoken drama all but diminished following the genocide of the Khmer Rouge.”
Yet with limited funds and unflinching tenacity, Chan and his team, together with the support of their families and cultural institutes, braved the seemingly unending fog of uncertainty to bring Lakhon Niyeay not merely back into theatres and paying audiences but thrust before their nation’s artistic commissions and educational systems as a viable necessity.
It is both heart-wrenching and inspiring to watch people who refuse to hear that they can’t achieve their dreams. Most times, if you take enough hits, you finally take the hint and stay down on the canvas. But the heart and soul of this short but potent film, Sreyleak Chan, exposes the cost, both financial and emotional, yet he is never deterred nor seems afraid. It is a fascinating portrait of the courage it takes to live a dream in a reality that only wants to keep us marching to the beat of the times. Respoken cries out against the death of art and culture. It rages spectacularly against the dying of the light.
"…rages spectacularly against the dying of the light."
