medical services

Wednesday, 17.9.2008: Cambodian Film Wins Major U.S. Award

Norbert Klein Leave a comment

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 578

“Phnom Penh: A film produced by Khmer producers with the title ‘Facing the Truth’ won a high award in the United States during the Freddie Awards Celebration 2008; Freddie Awards are given in the United States for international health and medical media achievements.

“Oscar Awards [awarded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences] are well known for the competition of films in general, but there is also a competition in which there are medical awards, the Freddie Awards, which is one among special awards. In this competition, health organizations from around the world participated. This award is an encouragement for such film productions worldwide.

“‘Facing the Truth’ was produced by Khmer Mekong Films, it is a 30-minute televised drama, describing the importance of HIV tests for pregnant women. Its content shows the countryside in Cambodia and it is a sad film reflecting the reality in Cambodian society.

“This film was submitted under two categories – fist under Prevention, and the second submission was in the category Infectious Diseases – among 32. The film was accepted as a candidate and surprisingly, it won the Number One Award in the field of Prevention, although there was strong competition from broadcasting corporations in Canada and from two big cable TV networks in the United States.

“‘Facing the Truth’ was produced as part of the campaign to promote AIDS prevention, which was led and organized by the program PMTCT (Prevention mother to child transmission of HIV) of the National Maternal Child Health Center of the Ministry of Health, and has been shown around Cambodia.

“This film was funded by the US Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, and in Cambodia also through the Global AIDS Program. Drafts of the film’s content and text of the conversation were produced by Khmer Mekong Films with assisting ideas from Madame Dr. Vong Sothearany, a coordinator of the program PMTCT (Prevention mother to child transmission of HIV) of the National Maternal Child Health Center of the Ministry of Health.

“This film was shot in and around Phnom Penh in ten days and has been shown at hospitals and health centers nationwide during a period of about two years. This movie was shown also on the Cambodian Television Network in June 2008, and more than two million citizens watched it.

“Mr. Matthew Robinson [the executive producer and owner of Khmer Mekong Films], said that this award is a great achievement, not only for Khmer Mekong Films, but also for the National Maternal Child Health Center of the Ministry of Health and for the US Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, and especially it is a reason of pride of all Khmers.

“It should be noted that the celebration, where this important award will be delivered, is organized to happen in Philadelphia in the United States on 14 November 2008. For that occasion, Khmer Mekong Films will send two staff members, as well as a film director, to receive the award.” Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #100, 17.9.2008

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Wednesday, 17 September 2008


Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1747, 17.9.2008

  • The Untied States Plans to Invite Samdech Hun Sen for an Official Visit
  • Cambodia Steps up Cooperation and Exchange of Work Experiences against Corruption in ASEAN
  • Siamese [Thai] Troops Remove Citizens’ Housing at the Cham Sragam Border Crossing Point [Oddar Meanchey]
  • Thailand’s Supreme Court Issued an Arrest Warrant for [ousted prime minister] Thaksin [over corruption charges]


Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #245, 17.9.2008

  • The Sam Rainsy Party and the Human Rights Party Demand Reforms of the Election Law and Demand to Do Whatever Is Necessary to Assure by Law That the Opposition Parties Should Get Certain Positions in the National Assembly


Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #100, 17.9.2008

  • Cambodian Film Wins Major U.S. Award
  • The Government Reacts to the Publication by the Bangkok Post [saying that Prime Minister Hun Sen said that Thailand should consider to give up the position of president of ASEAN temporarily; saying that Prime Minister Hun Sen never used the words ‘must’ or ‘should’ related to that position]


Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6451, 17.9.2008

  • Regarding the Problem that the Opposition Parties Will Not Attend the First Session of Parliament, Samdech Dekchor Said: They Do Not Recognize the Election Results, but They also Do Not Abandon Their Seats


Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3567, 17.9.2008

  • Yim Sovann [Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian from Phnom Penh]: Members of the National Assembly from the Sam Rainsy Party Will Not Take the Salaries from the Prime Minister [responding to the threat by Prime Minister Hun Sen that he will not release salaries to opposition party parliamentarians who boycott the first session of the National Assembly]


Rasmei Angkor, Vol.11, #1360, 17.9.2008