Cambodian Son, a documentary directed by Masahiro Sugano, won an Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) Award at the National Convention earlier this month.
The documentary follows Cambodian refugee Kosal Khiev, who escaped Cambodia at age two. At 16, he was convicted of attempted murder, spent 14 years in prison, and was deported to Cambodia following his prison sentence. While in prison, Khiev found solace in writing and spoken word poetry. The film follows Khiev and his new-found fame in Cambodia, a country that he barely knows. During the course of the film, he is invited to represent the Kingdom of Cambodia at the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.
The film received the award in the Asian American Pacific Islander Issues for Television/Online. The documentary aired nationally on public media on the America ReFramed program on World Channel, and was presented by the Center for Asian American Media.
CAAM also funded the PBS Online web series, Verses in Exile, which continues the journey with Khiev.
