Film Review: 'First they Killed my Father'

Last night, I went to the Marina Theater at 6:30PM, expecting to watch a screening of Hugh Welchman’s Leaving VIncent, an interesting sounding film about Van Gogh -- it was billed by the GFF program as the world’s first fully painted film -- but instead was treated to a viewing of Angelina Jolie’s First, They Killed My Father, based on Loung Ung memoir of her experiences as a 5-year old in Cambodia. 

This is a long movie about the Khmer Rouge era. The film follows the tragic story of a young family that flees the takeover of Cambodia sometime in the mid to late 70s by the Pol Pot.  We see absolutely heart-breaking scenes of violence perpetrated against children, and of course, their parents, many of whom who were slaughtered like cattle in Cambodia.  But that is the problem with this film: the world, during the last 40 years, has already seen a number of really good movies on this subject, and I am not sure what this film adds to what has already been said.  It felt dated, watching this film, as if Jolie had not heard the news that films such as The Killing Fields had already been released, decades ago. 

I would also say that the pacing of this film was, to be blunt about it, very very slow.  I was already looking at my watch 1 hour into this film which is never a good sign.  Finally, and I will end with this, if GFF wants this festival to attain international status, then I would suggest to the festival organizers that Egyptian auds should be encouraged to treat their fellow movie watchers with some respect, and not constantly send SMS messages on their smartphones, or have extended phone conversations while the movie is screening -- not to mention smoking and ruining the carpet of a brand new theater that has no ashtrays. 

~ aly