Over the past week, Angelina Jolie‘s upcoming “First They Killed My Father” has faced scrutiny over the method used to find the young lead for the film. The actress and director has defended the process, but sometimes the best PR offensive is a trailer.
Based on the memoir by author and human rights activist Loung Ung, “First They Killed My Father” showcases the horrors of the Khmer Rouge, whose four year reign of terror and genocide saw nearly two million Cambodians killed. It’s a story that touches Jolie personally, as her adopted son Maddox is from Cambodia, and it’s also a very charged piece of history that hasn’t been depicted very often on the big screen, certainly not on this scale. Here’s the official synopsis:
Directed by Angelina Jolie, First They Killed My Father is the adaptation of Cambodian author and human rights activist Loung Ung’s gripping memoir of surviving the deadly Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1978. The story is told through her eyes, from the age of five, when the Khmer Rouge came to power, to nine years old. The film depicts the indomitable spirit and devotion of Loung and her family as they struggle to stay together during the Khmer Rouge years.
“First They Killed My Father” will debut on the fall festival circuit and hit Netflix on September 15th.
