I’ve been awaiting the release of this movie based on a memoir by Loung Ung, directed by Angelina Jolie. You can see it on Netflix now.

It is a gift to be able to read Loung Ung’s book First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers. It helped me put together in a timeline the many separate stories I have heard. I also am not super fluent in Chinese and my parents aren’t super fluent in English – to be able to read Loung’s story in English was very helpful.

Having read the book and also knowing what has happened in Cambodia, I know there will be many scenes that will be difficult to watch. I wonder if my parents would watch this, or if it would be too hard, bringing up painful memories. I would love to hear more from them. Through the years, I’ve read and heard many stories from my parents and family. I tried to imagine it all, to picture the lush landscapes, the houses they built, the rice paddies they worked in, the rain which provided water to drink… every scene, and things not spoken of. It’ll be different actually seeing (and hearing) what I’ve tried to imagine so many times.

The movie premiered in Cambodia earlier this year. I hope it will help the country to remember, connect, heal, and grow.

I also recommend Loung’s second book Lucky Child: A Daughter of Cambodia Reunites with the Sister She Left Behind and her third book Lulu in the Sky: A Daughter of Cambodia Finds Love, Healing, and Double Happiness, both of which I greatly appreciated. The story does not end in Cambodia, and the healing/rebuilding process is not easy. It was during this part of my parents’ life (moving to a new country, rebuilding, and healing) in which I was born and grew up.