When in 1975 the Khmer Rouge seized power, the Cambodian population, tired of Lon Nol and the bloody civil war, welcomed the soldiers with open arms. Little did they know, it was the beginning of something worse. The Khmer Rouge is responsible for a period much more serious and harsher than the civil war. Cambodians had to face famine and the danger of being tortured and executed in interrogation centers such as Tuol Sleng. The black pages of the rise of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot are investigated in this graphic film, featuring David Chandler, Nate Thayer and Francois Bizot.
Who exactly was the Janus-faced Saloth Sar: a polite child, a friendly teacher, a charming politician, or a cruel, relentless murderer? The latter plays a central part in this film. The innocent looking Sar was internationally known as Pol Pot, the leader of the infamous Cambodian Khmer Rouge. The director offers a comprehensive view on the personal and political history of this communist leader, including old footage, talks with politicians and historians, and fragments of the last interview ever given by Pol Pot; the interview with journalist Nate Thayer, just after his arrest in 1997.
After the death ofPol Pot and the implosion of the the Khmer Rouge, a revival of national culture and religion took place in Cambodia. Still, the hideous actions of the Khmer Rouge remain vivid in the nightmares of Cambodian families. As organizations such as the Documentation Center of Cambodia are still searching for the remains of thousands of victims in mass graves, its crucial to pay attention to the atrocities of Democratic Kampuchea and to bring its criminals to justice. This episode brings out the painful heritage of the Khmer Rouge and the complexity of the contemporary political situation in Cambodia.