Conversation and Q&A with Jean-Baptiste Phou and Eric Nguyen

Jean-Baptiste Phou was born in 1981 in Paris to Chinese-Cambodian parents. As an actor, he has performed in plays and musicals in Cambodia, USA and France. His film credits include Rithy Panh’s Oscar-nominated documentary 'The Missing Picture' (2013) and Erick Zonca’s TV movie 'White Soldier' (2014). Phou is the author of the play 'Cambodia, Here I Am!', performed in French and Khmer and the director of the short film 'My Mother's Tongue' (2022) that received the Public's Choice award at the 29th Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema. His works explore issues of identity, exile, and the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge genocide. Since 2017, he has made his home in Phnom Penh where, until late 2020, he headed Creative Programs for the NGO Cambodian Living Arts.