Small Voices: The Stories of Cambodia's Children

Small Voices: The Stories of Cambodia's Children is a 2008 documentary film that follows several street and dumpster children in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on their journey to receive an education. The film was written, directed, and produced by Heather Connell.

Small Voices: The Stories of Cambodia's Children
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHeather Connell
Produced byHeather Connell
Written byHeather Connell
StarringMegan Follows
Music bySherene Strausberg
CinematographyArthur Yee
Edited byJason Rosenblatt
Production
company
Displaced Yankee Productions
Distributed byCinema Libre Studio
Release date
2008
Running time
83 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$150,000

The documentary was awarded the 2009 Gold Medal Award at the New York International Film and Video Awards[1] and 2nd place Best Documentary at the Rhode Island International Film Festival in 2008.[2]

Synopsis

Thirty years ago, the Khmer Rouge perpetrated genocide upon their own people. Attempting to create a classless society, they killed nearly 1.7 million people, primarily the adult, educated and artistic population. Today, the children born to the uneducated, poverty-stricken survivors face a bleak future. With the farming lands in the countryside decimated and little opportunity in the cities, thousands of children are struggling to survive.

Abandoned by destitute family members, or forced to work in order to support themselves and relatives, these children are left vulnerable and exposed. On the streets of the capital city of Phnom Penh, there are over 12,000 children living, begging and working. Through their eyes, their day-to-day heartbreaks, dangers and hopes come to life.

Small Voices: The Stories of Cambodia's Children is a heart-warming film by Heather E. Connell, who spent several years documenting the struggles of the garbage dump children of Cambodia. She brings the film to life through the sights and sounds of Phnom Penh and gives the film its soul through the voices of these children as they share stories of their lives and their dreams for the future. They are the first generation of children born to survivors of the Khmer Rouge and have learned to survive in an economy and society struggling to rebuild itself.

Aftermath

Inspired by Small Voices: The Stories of Cambodia's Children, director of the film Heather Connell founded the Safe Haven School,[3] a non-profit educational and therapeutic outreach program for disabled children in Siem Riep, Cambodia. Safe Haven's mission is to provide a safe environment for children with disabilities, allowing them the opportunity to have access to the educational and therapeutic resources that they need in order to reach their full potential and their highest level of personal independence.[4]

Awards and festivals

References
  1. "New York Festivals". Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  2. "Rhode Island International Film Festival 2008 Award Winners Announced". Fest21. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  3. "The Pari Project". Retrieved 19 September 2011.
  4. "Safe Haven Outreach". Community First Initiatives. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
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