History,Drama,Family
United States of America,Cambodia
In the Life of Music is a Cambodian drama film directed by Caylee So and Sok Visal. The story revolves around a family and their emotional connection to the song "Champa Battambang" written and sung by the legendary Cambodian musician Sinn Sisamouth. The film captures three different time periods: the 1960s, when the song was composed and became an instant hit in Cambodia; the 1970s, when civil war ravaged the country; and the 2000s, when a young woman discovers the song’s significance and begins to trace her family’s history.
The film's narrative follows the lives of a grandmother, mother, and daughter who live through the tumultuous years of Cambodia’s recent past. The grandmother, Sav Samourn, is a singer who performed Champa Battambang during the height of her career. The mother, Lili, grows up listening to her mother's music while experiencing the horrors of living under the Khmer Rouge regime. The daughter, Hope, born and raised in the US, travels to Cambodia to discover her family’s roots and the significance of the song that has been passed down through generations.
In the 1960s, Sav Samourn's performance of Champa Battambang brings her fame and success. However, the happy times are short-lived as civil war breaks out, and the family is separated. In the 1970s, Lili is torn from her family and sent to a work camp, where she endures countless hardships. Despite the upheaval and suffering caused by the war, the family clings to the hope that they will be reunited one day.
In the 2000s, Hope discovers the song, sparking an interest in her family’s history, and she sets out to find her mother’s surviving relatives. The film juxtaposes Hope's life in the US with the difficult living conditions of Lili’s family in Cambodia. As Hope learns more about the song and her family's struggles, she begins to develop a deeper understanding of her heritage.
In the Life of Music is a powerful and emotional portrayal of a family’s experience during Cambodia's turbulent years. It highlights the important role of music and art in preserving cultural identity and memory. The film premiered at the New York Asian Film Festival in 2019 and was Cambodia’s submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 93rd Academy Awards.
