First They Killed My Father

In the tumultuous year of 1975, we are introduced to Loung Ung, a five-year-old girl living in the Cambodian capital. The backdrop features the escalating chaos stemming from the Vietnam War and its ramifications on Cambodia, setting the stage for Loung's harrowing journey.

As U.S. military operations intensify against North Vietnamese forces, the conflict begins to infiltrate Cambodia’s borders. This incites broader instability and triggers the onset of the Cambodian Civil War, leading to increased dangers for families residing in the region, including Loung's.

The Khmer Rouge seizes control of Phnom Penh, forcing families, including Loung's, to evacuate under the pretense of impending bombings by the Americans. Fear and desperation grip the population as the regime's oppressive force begins to exert itself.

Loung's father, Pa Ung, denies working for the government when confronted by Khmer Rouge soldiers, knowing the dire consequences of the truth. The family seeks refuge with Uncle, but Aunt's fears push them into a deadly escape.

After days of exhausting travel, Loung's family is captured by Khmer Rouge soldiers who transport them to a labor camp. Here, they face grueling conditions and are forced to build their own shelters under a regime that thrives on cruelty and punishment.

Families in the labor camp endure relentless forced labor while having their belongings confiscated. With minimal food available, starvation leads to dire punishments for those seeking sustenance, and Loung witnesses the brutal beatings of her siblings.

Loung's two oldest brothers and her sister, Keav, are moved to different camps. Loung soon learns of Keav's death due to dysentery, deepening her sorrow and the chaos of their separation as the family slowly disintegrates.

In a sorrowful farewell, Loung's father is taken away by Khmer Rouge officials under false pretenses. His departure foreshadows the troubles that lie ahead, leaving Loung and her mother with haunting thoughts of potential tragedy.

Following their father's capture, Loung and her brothers are instructed by Ma to flee in different directions, adopting false identities as orphans. Loung and Chou manage to escape to another camp, but they remain separated from Kim, intensifying their distress.

At the new camp, Loung is forced to train as a child soldier for the Khmer Rouge amidst the ongoing war. While conditions are slightly better than the labor camp, the emotional and psychological indoctrination against the Vietnamese is unforgiving.

In a brief respite, Loung is allowed to visit her sister but instead learns that her mother and youngest sister, Geak, have also disappeared. An elderly informant delivers the chilling news, plunging Loung into a deeper state of despair.

As Loung's camp suffers from Vietnamese shelling, she flees with other civilians, leading to a transient reunion with her siblings at a temporary refugee camp. The moment is short-lived as Khmer Rouge forces launch an attack the next day.

During the chaotic escape from the Khmer Rouge forces, Loung and her siblings become separated in the jungle. Haunted by horrific visions, she struggles to cope with the trauma and the violent realities around her, bearing witness to the gruesome consequences of landmines.

Eventually, Loung, along with her siblings, is joyfully reunited at a Red Cross-run refugee camp. Despite the overwhelming relief, the scars of violence and memories from the war still linger, as they navigate their new reality while haunted by the past.

As the war comes to an end, Loung and her siblings gather in a Buddhist temple to honor their lost family members. In a poignant moment of reflection, they kneel in prayer, signifying resilience and the enduring bond of family amidst their shared grief.