Since 2007, the date of the first celebration of the World Day, the Bophana Audiovisual Resource Center has offered each year, in collaboration with UNESCO, a day of meetings and reflections around a question peculiar to audiovisual archives in Cambodia. A special moment to follow the center’s work and to exchange ideas with specialists, the 2009 day will be devoted to Cambodia’s sound and music heritage.

The Hanuman database of the Bophana Center has already been supplied with many archival films related to Cambodia: cinematographic and television productions, institutional films, family films. Since 2008, numerous photographic collections have also been registered. They cover a very long period, from 1860 to 2009—almost 150 years! The Bophana Center is currently showing its new production, Cambodian [Forgotten] Songs. This CD of traditional Cambodian songs is its second achievement, after the CD Street Singers, Phnom Penh Ballads. The center now wishes to expand its collection of audio recordings related to Cambodia not only at a musical level, but also in terms of historical recordings. From Sinn Sisamuth to Sapoun Midada, from Pol Pot’s speeches under Democratic Kampuchea to Nixon’s phone calls about the American bombings on Indochina…the Bophana Center has already identified authentic historical recordings to include in Cambodia’s national heritage.

October 27 echoes the “Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images” adopted by UNESCO in 1980. At that time, it was about to sensitize worldwide nations to the importance of safeguarding their national audiovisual heritage, which in our societies today plays a part that is as important as written archives—more important sometimes. “Celebrating the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, it’s not only for the Bophana Center to participate in an international event. The Bophana Center is fruit born from the same reflection and from the same context as the UNESCO recommendation. It is very important for Cambodians to understand the uniqueness of the Bophana Center at the global level. Benefiting from such an audiovisual resource center in a developing country is unique. The Bophana Center has already been a model for other countries, on other continents, thanks to all the people who have supported and continue to support our efforts!” said Rithy Panh.

The general theme suggested by UNESCO for the 2009 day is ephemral heritage. A conference by Jean-Michel Filippi will show the fragility of heritage, through the example of the S’aoch. The S’aoch are an indigenous minority living in Cambodia, of whom less than 10 people can fluently speak their language and who have lost their musical heritage. Mr Filippi will also explain to what extent the S’aoch language is an example of a linguistic heritage for humanity to discover. As a specialist, he has recorded this language to better study it and make it known. These recordings will eventually be displayed in the Hanuman database.

In addition, musicians from the Cham and Kroeung minorities will perform during the day. Traditional Cambodian music will be highlighted through a conference on instruments and a concert. Cambodian contemporary music will also be presented thanks to a program showing archival films.

Program of World AV Day on Tuesday, October 27

10 am: Screening on giant screen of several documentary films about Cambodia’s sound and music heritage

Pinpeat orchestra on the stage of the Royal Palace Film produced by the Cambodian Cinema Department, 2000s, Khmer version Kung Nay Documentary film by Julien Poulson, 2009, English version Don’t think I have forgotten Trailer of the next documentary film by John Pirozzi about Cambodian rock’n’roll in the 1960s, English version Sapoun Midada Portrait of Sapoun Midada, directed by Christophe Gargiulo, broadcast on Apsara TV, 2007, Khmer version L’anarchiste, Thom Thom Music videoclip shot by Rithy Panh, with a performance by Séra on a music of Veal Srè, 2005 Rapper Report about Cambodian rap, by Chheang Bopha and Chim Linna, 2007, Khmer version Life, art and culture of the Kroeung minority Documentary film directed by Om Hongkiri, produced by Community Forest International, 2006, original version with English Subtitles

2.30 pm: Public communication [1] on the safeguarding of Cambodia’s sound and music heritage by representatives from UNESCO, the Cambodian Cinema Department, the Bophana Center, Amrita Performing Art and a master of traditional Cambodian music
3.30 pm: Interlude of music recordings
4 pm: « S’aoch people, an endangered and ephemeral heritage » [2] by Jean-Michel Filippi
5 pm: Concert by musicians from the Cham and Tumpoun minorities
5.30 pm: Presentation and demonstration of traditional Cambodian musical instruments, by Phon Somreth
6.30 pm: Concert of traditional Cambodian music

The World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is an event organized by the Bophana Audiovisual Resource Center with the support of UNESCO.

Note: [1] and [2]- in Khmer and in English