Angelina Jolie has been under scrutiny the last few days, ever since allegations were made that she employed manipulative and cruel tactics to find the young lead of her Khmer Rouge drama, First They Killed My Father. While Jolie has defended herself publicly against the charges, clearly she also sees this as the controversy as too good of an opportunity to pass up, and so today we have the harrowing first trailer.
Based on Loung Ung's tragic memoir, the film chronicles the brutal Khmer Rouge regime and the millions of Cambodians who died during the genocide. When Pol Pot was put into power and her hometown overtaken, Ung was separated from her family and forced to become a child soldier while the rest of the family was sent into labor amps.
Ultimately it was Sareum Srey Moch who made it through the casting process to lead Jolie's film, which she directed and co-wrote along with Ung. 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.
After Beasts of No Nation this will be Netflix's second major film about child soldiers. There's a good chance audiences are more likely to watch this kind of story at home rather than buying a ticket for it, so good on Netflix for making them available. First They Killed My Father hits Netflix on September 15th.
