Academy Doc Series Examines Cambodian People's Hopes and Struggles

Academy Doc Series Examines Cambodian People's Hopes and Struggles

Beverly Hills, CA – "Born Sweet" and "Enemies of the People" will screen as the next installment in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 30th annual "Contemporary Documentaries" series on Wednesday, November 9, at 7 p.m. at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. Admission to all screenings in the series is free.

Directed and produced by Cynthia Wade, "Born Sweet" follows Vinh, a 15-year-old boy as he contends with severe arsenic poisoning in a small Cambodian village, but uses karaoke to keep his spirit alive.

For Cambodian journalist Thet Sambath, who directed and produced "Enemies of the People" with Rob Lemkin, the terror his country endured under the Khmer Rouge struck close to home with the deaths of friends and family members.

Haunted by these losses, he has spent the intervening years bringing the brutal truth behind Cambodia’s history to light. Sambath and Lemkin will be present to take questions from the audience following the screening.

The 30th annual "Contemporary Documentaries" series continues through December 7, showcasing feature-length and short documentaries drawn from the 2010 Academy Award® nominations, including the winners, as well as other important and innovative films considered by the Academy that year.

All films will screen at the Linwood Dunn Theater at the Academy’s Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., except for the IMAX presentation on December 7. Doors open at 6 p.m. All seating is unreserved. The filmmakers will be present at screenings whenever possible.

The Linwood Dunn Theater is located at 1313 Vine Street in Hollywood. Free parking is available through the entrance on Homewood Avenue (one block north of Fountain Avenue). For additional information, visit www.oscars.org or call (310) 247-3600.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.