As Buddhists, statues are more than simply pieces of stone to us. We believe the statue of the Buddha has a kind of soul and is the Buddha in some sense. This is why we can pray to it. Clay is a very interesting and fundamental material - it's earth, it's water and - with fire - it takes on form and life. In fact, what is art? Art is giving to what you create a soul. That's why it is said God is like an artist.

Rithy Panh

Categorized in : Art Believe Buddhist

You cannot build a cultural identity without the images and sounds of your culture. Most countries in the third world - poor countries - they've lost their memories. Because everyday, films and cultural artifacts disappear. Film is also a memory - of the character and imagination of a culture.

character memories country

When you make a film and it wins some award at a very select, very difficult festival such as Cannes, it's good for your fellow film directors and fellow citizens too. Because it shows them that this way is a real possibility.

film real winning

If you cannot make moving pictures about yourself, your country and your culture, it's as if you do not exist anymore in this world of images we live in. Because now when we all switch on our smartphones or our iPads or our computers, it's all image and sound. All people and cultures must work to secure their place in the digital space. Cinema is also political in this way.

country people moving

The most beautiful thing in Cambodia isn't the country - it's the... by Rithy Panh

The most beautiful thing in Cambodia isn't the country - it's the Cambodian people.

most-beautiful most beautiful people

It is only by reflecting on the past that one can create a better... by Rithy Panh

It is only by reflecting on the past that one can create a better future.

create better future past

Cinema is not truth. Even when you make documentary films, you can choose to show this shot and not the other shot - this side and not the other side. In cinema, there's one truth - not 'the truth.' It's only 'my point of view.' Cinema is powerful because of that.

view you cinema truth

There is no book-learning culture in Cambodia. People do not read. The children do not read in school. Educators must come up with a policy that meets the great need for knowledge: using modern audiovisual methods that the young can connect with.

culture children people knowledge

To me, form is not something that you can plan beforehand, especially for a documentary. You can't write it or sketch it. It requires a confrontation with reality, with history, with ethics and morals. After identifying good content, you have to find the right form to express that content.

good me you history

Cambodia is not only a country of war, but also a country of cult... by Rithy Panh

Cambodia is not only a country of war, but also a country of culture. It's in our DNA.

dna war country culture

Every time you are getting ready to make a shot in a documentary film, you are asking yourself questions about your cinematographic approach. You are approaching the truth, but the image is never the truth itself.

yourself you truth time

Art is freedom. If you defend art, you defend freedom. by Rithy Panh

Art is freedom. If you defend art, you defend freedom.

defend you freedom art

I wasn't predestined to be a filmmaker; this wasn't an obvious ch... by Rithy Panh

I wasn't predestined to be a filmmaker; this wasn't an obvious choice to me.

choice me obvious filmmaker

We need a peaceful, modern Cambodia. We need to achieve that. It'... by Rithy Panh

We need a peaceful, modern Cambodia. We need to achieve that. It's not easy.

need peaceful achieve easy

As children, we did not have toys. We invented characters and ani... by Rithy Panh

As children, we did not have toys. We invented characters and animals; we invented stories.

animals did toys children

We need creativity. We need more poetry after Auschwitz. by Rithy Panh

We need creativity. We need more poetry after Auschwitz.

need more creativity poetry

Totalitarians always want to kill culture. But imagine life without football, Faulkner, or Bob Dylan. It's not life.

want football life culture

I think that, as a filmmaker, you're always making the same film, regardless of how many different stories you tell. This is the case for me, whether I'm making documentaries or fiction films.

think me you always

In all of my films, there is a desire to testify, to interrogate... by Rithy Panh

In all of my films, there is a desire to testify, to interrogate the past.

testify films desire past

When the Khmer Rouge reached Phnom Penh, the first thing they did was to evacuate the population. Then they took over. The point of a revolution is to bring justice to the people, so even if you don't have proof of sabotage, you manufacture it.

you revolution justice people

'The Missing Picture' came together slowly, after much provocation and by refusing different forms, until I finally found the right form.

picture different missing together