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December 2007
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Sponsored By:
The Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund
&
The Asian Women Giving Circle
New Year Baby made its New York premiere at the Asia Society. It was the first sell out of more than 100 films in the festival. Both screenings were recieved with standing ovations. Socheata's father "Pa" had a hug line so long we were asked to leave the screening room.
Other News:
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The Movies That Matter Foundation - an initiative of Amnesty International - awarded funding to support the Cambodian outreach program to take the film across Cambodia.
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The first Cambodian language test is complete.
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The Asian Women Giving Circle hosted a Meet the Director cocktail pary in NYC and awarded funding to support the New York education outreach work.
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Socheata Awarded the 2007 Echoing Green Fellowship
The $60,000 award over two years will support her work to document 10,000 Khmer Rouge survivor stories as interviewed by their children.
20 fellows were selected out of more than 900 international applicants.
Socheata will continue her work in New Haven, CT as she tours the world with the film New Year Baby.
Other June News
The crew is working to invite underwriters to support the NYB Academy Award qualification.-
New Year Baby is selected for the Southern Arts Federation Tour
Socheata & the film are scheduled for a 10 city tour in 2008
Socheata was recently interviewed on the KUCI's Radio show Film School
You can hear and share the interview at http://www.kuci.org/filmschool
New Year Baby sold out all week at the UNHCR Refugee Film Festival in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
We received two notes that all seats & floor space were filled.
The Independent Documentary Association Documentary Magazine writes that New Year Baby -
"deservedly earned the $25,000 Target Filmmaker Award for Best Documentary."
A test for the Cambodian dubbed version for Cambodian distribution has begun
New Year Baby Wins the Audience Award at Los Angeles VC Film Festival
New Year Baby took the Non-Fiction Audience Award at the Los Angeles VC Film Festival. There were 160 films in the festival. NYB was the only one to have an additional screening due to audience demand and both screenings sold out early.
Other News:
- Socheata joined the film in Donegal Ireland where New Year Baby was the opening film for the Guth Gafa Film Festival.
Socheata reports that New Year Baby was the only film with two capacity filled screenings at Guth Gafa.
The film's introduction was Irish step dancing and traditional folk songs.
Last month Socheata spoke and screened the film at both Yale Law School & the Harvard Kennedy School.
New Year Baby is confirmed to screen at the Martha's Vineyard Film Festival on Aug. 15th. Socheata will attend. It's a good place to spend a few days in August.
April 2007
New Year Baby Wins Best Documentary Award at the AFI Dallas International Film Festival
http://www.afidallas.com
It is both true and hard to imagine. New Year Baby has taken top honors in two prominent festivals in it's first month in the United States. The film was received with a standing ovation at AFI Dallas and awarded the newest honor by another unanimous decision. Over 190 films were included in the festival.
AFI Dallas Documentary Jury:
"Unblinking in its pursuit of the truth…personal documentaries (are) a search for your heart and your soul and that is what they did."
We were told that the Chairman of the AFI Dallas board specifically asked for a copy of the New Year Baby on hearing reports from the first screening.
The festival turned away overflow theater goers.
The Poeuv family attended the second screening and received the standing ovation.
Socheata has a new Tiffany crystal award.
James Vogl is working to figure out how to add more laurels to our postcards and posters.
Our crew, funders and donor community are very proud.
Other News:
Variety gives New Year Baby a rave review:
"..This fine first feature is a disarming personal docu that turns into a very moving consideration of historical genocide and individual heroism. Winner of a well-deserved jury prize at the San Francisco Asian-American Film Festival, it merits further exposure on the fest, educational and broadcast circuits..." - Dennis Harvey
New Year Baby is invited back to Yale for a private law school screening.
We presented a private fundraising screening at the New York Harvard Club.
NYB will compete at the VC Film Film Festival in Los Angeles in May.
NYU's APA Studies is sponsoring an April 17th Cambodian New Year Celebration screening of New Year Baby.
Coming a Long Way
We invited some students from the Bronx Ghetto Film School who filled up the first two rows. They had helped us test screen an early rough cut of the film and it was great to invite them to see the final product. When I re-entered the theatre as the credits started to roll, I heard the tough Bronx teenagers sniffling and saw them wiping their eyes. When I met them almost a year ago, their only reference to Cambodia came from the Dave Chappelle Show.
I took questions and made an appeal for donations to support the outreach campaign. I felt very confident about the ask, mainly from new coaching I had gotten from public speaking coach Jeremy Nash (http://www.communicationatwork.net/index.htm). I came into my first meeting with him thinking that I would get coached on where to put my hands and how to speak eloquently. But Jeremy taught me that it's less important what you say than who you're being in that moment. Allowing my true self to shine through is what allows you to connect with people. That's what makes people magnetic. Jeremy was a kind, compassionate and generous coach. After one session with him, I don't think I will go into any meeting with the same old "tools" again.
March 2007
New Year Baby Wins Best Documentary Award
at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
http://www.asianamericanfilmfestival.org
Documentary Jury Report:
"New Year Baby by Socheata Poeuv has been awarded Best Documentary for its gripping portrayal of a family's struggle to overcome the traumatic legacies of the Khmer Rouge. The film unfolds with remarkable candor, humor, and a heartbreaking intensity that captures a daughter's quest to understand her family's history and a father's willingness to lay open his vulnerabilities by confronting his past. We congratulate Socheata for a courageous debut feature."
There was a lot of hugging at the first screening as well.
-Charles Vogl
Producer
February 2007
Happy to be Home
Richard and Marcia are back at home in Santa Ana, California. Both are happy to be in their own beds, but miss the convenience of push button services like food and nursing like they enjoyed in the Bangkok hospital.
They are both still in pain, but they are treating that appropriately. They're grateful for the love and support of friends and family nearby who are cooking dinner and doing grocery runs for them.
James and Amy leave Bangkok for Orange County soon as well.
Charles and I leave for home tomorrow after a New Year Baby screening tonight in Phnom Penh. Charles is less sore.
Producer's Note
Socheata and I are still in Phnom Penh. We screened the film earlier this month for NGO professionals and diplomats. We turned about 50 people away because of capacity. There was hugging and crying as usual. The next day Socheata was twice recognized at breakfast. She got to hear what an impact it had on the newest audience. In one meeting an NGO staffer then shared that his wife was inspirationally crying in their car the next day just thinking about the film. It has been quite a response. I learned to bring many more postcards than I ever thought needed.
Our schedules are filled with meetings and four NGOs have already expressed clear intention in sharing the work across Cambodia. We are now in action fundriaising to create a Cambodian language version. I also scheduled a bigger venue for a screening tonight so more possible collaborators can experience the film.
The New Year Baby Cambodia Adventure group left Phnom Penh this week. Now they encourage me to set up the next trip. It was a hands down success that all found moving. We also had a vehicle accident on the trip. Some were hurt, including my parents. All expect full recovery if they follow medical advice. (post in Socheata's Diary )
Special Gift:
Judy Goldstein and Danielle Santiago are underwriting Socheata's air fare to the DocAviv Film Festival in Tel Aviv, Israel. This will be a powerful introduction to the Middle East and may lead to screenings in nearby regions.
- New Year Baby is selected for the exclusive Working Films Residency at MASS MoCa to "create intentional and strategic audience engagement."
- New Year Baby is in competition for Best Documentary at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival.
- New Year Baby is a "HOT FILM" at the Goteburg Film Festival in Sweden.
- New Year Baby is included in the OxDox Film Festival - Oxford, England March 10th - 25th
-Charles Vogl
Producer
Together
It was amazing what a strong bond we created in the past ten days.
On Friday Feb. 16th, Charles, his parents Rich & Marcia and our guest Ron Ardres were in a vehicle accident on a dirt road from Koh Ker to Preah Vihear. They were in an SUV when the driver lost control in a fish tail situation. The vehicle left the road and rolled over twice. It came to a rest down a small rise, on it's side and facing the direction from which it came.
Only Charles was wearing a seat belt and walked away from the accident. He was hit on the head by the collapsing roof but no bleeding. He then directed a valiant evacuation operation. The others were badly hurt and at the time, we did not know what kind of internal injuries they suffered.
We were traveling in a 6 vehicle convoy. Thank goodness we had both Dr. KG Bennet and M.D. Kenway Louie on the trip. They responded to the injured right away. One guest described the response as “superhero”. I think it is an apt description. There was no cell reception there so we could not call for help. The doctors assessed that all four of the more seriously injured could be driven to Siem Reap about 3 hours away. Thirty minutes later, after KG’s second examination of Marcia, he & Charles created a spine support for her out of bush wood and clothing.
Charles’s parents suffered spine and head trauma. That evening they were evacuated to a Bangkok hospital.
While Charles, KG, James (Charles’s brother), Amy (James’ long time partner) and I were at the hospital, the rest of our guests convened at the Hanumanalaya.
Later they told us that at dinner, though there was plenty of space at 4 tables, all thirteen crowded around a single table for eight. They couldn’t bear to be separated that night.
While Rich & Marcia are in pain, all doctors agree to expect a full recovery in time. Ron hurt his foot and prefers to treat it himself. Charles of course keeps ticking. James & Amy are still in Bangkok with Rich & Marcia.
From Cambodia
So far, we have two screenings set up - one in Phnom Penh and one in Siem Reap. The organizations seem to be very excited about the possibilities of collaboration.
I have not been in Phnom Penh for two years and it's like I can see the city changing before my eyes. There are more cars here now and ever before. Today I saw a red Hummer and a yellow Miata. There's construction everywhere.
I confess, I cannot wait until our guests arrive from America and England. I love playing host to tourists. It's like being able to experience a place for the first time again through their eyes.
Our host, Nick Ray and Kulikar Sotho, could not be more generous. They have made our stay incredibly easy and elegant. Nick and Kulikar run one of five companies, including Hanuman Tourism (www.hanumantourism.com). They are Cambodia experts and wonderful people. I am grateful to call them friends.
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San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival
http://www.asianamericanfilmfestival.org
* The SFIAAFF is the nation's largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian films, annually presenting approximately 130 works in San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose.
* Both screenings will be sponsored by KQED's Immigration in Focus initiative http://www.kqed.org/immigrationinfocus.
Sometimes I would feel exhilerated, like this was the beginning to my real life. Like I was ready to take off like a rocket booster. Other times, I would ride the subway and look at all the New Yorkers around me, wondering how come they can be comfortable and secure and I cannot.
My mother, who is part of the minority of people in this country who have experienced losing everything, said to me, "I can't believe I have a daughter who might be homeless." That comment didn't help things.
But what I've resolved for myself is that there's a real difference between getting paid for your performance versus getting paid for your time. I'll never measured for my performance in this particular job. It's like a golden glass ceiling.
So here I go stepping into the unknown. And I choose to step into it from all is and will be well.
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