Bodeng sar - White Building

October 6, 2021 Shane Virunphan

Director: Kavich Neang

Starrings: Piseth Chhun, Hout Sithorn, Ok Sokha, Chinnaro Soem, Sovann Tho, Jany Min, Sophearat Chan, Sophany Leng, Nareth Seng, Bunthoeun Tith, Chandalin Y.

Country: Cambodia, France, China, Qatar

Year 2021

Click Here for Italian Version

"Nightmares must not be told."

Cambodia is a country of around sixteen million inhabitants. Despite his modest interference in international affairs, Cambodia had truly painful moments. The conflict in Vietnam had deadly repercussions: civil war and the bloody Khmer Rouge government. On 17 April 1975, the Khmer Rouge entered Phnom Penh and evacuated, in a single day, a million people from the city to rural areas. The families were separated, forced into exhausting jobs and persecuted by the madness of terror. Children killed their parents, incited after brainwashing by the Khmer Rouge. To Cambodian heritage, killing one's mother or father is one of the most devastating human actions. The events are narrated by Chhay Sophal, a survivor of the labour camps in Mom & Angkar's Kid (Phnom Penh, June 2012).

In 1963, ten years after independence from France, Cambodia was in a peaceful period led by Prince Norodom Sihanouk. The Vietnam War was still far away. Phnom Penh's population had increased considerably, having tripled in just a few years. Also in 1963, a huge residential complex was inaugurated in the capital, built under the direction of the Cambodian architect Lu Ban Hap and the Russian engineer Vladimir Bodiansky. It was the White Building, a series of edifices with four hundred sixty eight flats, intended for the nascent middle class. It was in the centre, very close to the Bassac Riverfront and one kilometre from the Royal Palace. It was a fervent era of architectural design. At the same time, there was the construction of other houses, as well as a theatre, exhibition halls, and parks. The White Building takes its name from a brilliant white painting.

In 1970, there was the coup of General Lon Nol, probably influenced by the United States, and the exile of Prince Sihanouk. In 1975, the Lon Nol regime was deposed by the Khmer Rouge.

Along with the one million displaced, there were two thousand five hundred inhabitants in the White Building, which was totally left empty. In 1979, the Vietnamese liberated Phnom Penh. The White Building was repopulated by both surviving old residents and new squatters; the density was increasing significantly.

Meanwhile, the White Building was irreparably damaged. The characteristic white disappeared. The predominant tone is black, from fires and smog. The back was overfull of overgrown vegetation, and waste threw from the windows and accumulated next to the walls. The entrance to the main road was not in better condition; it was buried in filth.

The internal architecture was drastically altered, with several walls being demolished. The balconies were converted into rooms, and heavy mezzanines were installed. These changes caused disturbing cracks.

After returning, the occupants were in the low-income class. Some ran drug and prostitution trafficking. The decay had reached its most extreme point.

For some years, Phnom Penh has been changing. Korean, Japanese and Chinese investments have arrived. Logically, real estate and residential speculation are essential for the development of a nation. Located in an attractive area, the decrepit and black White Building must be demolished. The inhabitants were forced to leave. On 6 June 2020, the White Building was dismantled. In its ruins, the Phoenix will rise again, but in what form?

The White Building is considered iconic for having been inhabited by many, perhaps too many, Bohemian artists. They socialized in the endless and dusky corridors.

What happened to those who lived in the White Building? Did they cash in the money and find a house nearby? Or did they spend it to save themselves in a city suffocated by poverty? Or have they returned back to the villages?

Buying a home in Phnom Penh is not easy. Downtown housing has sold on average for USD 2,464.50 per square meter, with a maximum of USD 3,000. In the outskirts, it drops, but is still high: USD 1,531 up to USD 2,300 per square meter. Estimating the average salary of a Cambodian at USD 311.11 per month, it is clear that only the rich can afford a new home. (1)

The reimbursements will not allow the owners to buy a flat in the same area, and perhaps not even in the distant suburbs. What was their future? Could they have had an alternative? Could they continue to stay in the dirt?

The psychological and financial drama of the residents of the white house, the karmic tradition of Cambodian society, the analysis of the country's prospects, through the metaphor of the White Building, are the subjects of the film Bodeng sar - White Building, by the young filmmaker Kavich Neang. It was presented at the 78th Venice Film Festival in the Orizzonti section. The protagonist, Piseth Chhun won the Orizzonti Award for the Best Actor.

Kavich Neang was born in Phnom Penh in 1987. He lived with his family in the White Building. In 2019, he directed the short film Last Night I Saw You Smiling, a documentary about the human microcosm of the White Building.

Samnang, with two other friends, loves hip-hop. They train to compete in dance contests to make some money. They are poor; they live, together with hundreds of families, in the White Building. On those rooftops, the three boys dance, talk, chat, have fun, it is their world. Below, parents are urged to respond quickly to a construction company about their purchase proposal. They offer USD 1,400 per square meter, for flats completely devastated by neglect, pollution, excrement. They are without windows, without light and without water. However, money is not enough for a house in the same area. Residents have no hope. It is their final chance, by hook or by crook they will have to abandon it. Among the families, there is a heated controversy. There are those who want to sell and those who want to stay. How plausible is it to live in that crap? There is no more water because the system is broken. Many accept money and start moving. Mates stop dancing, everyone evacuates. Those who have no money to buy in Phnom Penh have to move to the countryside, like Samnang's family.

The arguments are historical and social. From a bleeding Cambodia to a developing country with an abundance of foreign capital. The tragedy of entire generations is the compassionate factor. It is a transition since they have experienced the misery, war, and torture of the old Cambodia. However, they will not live long enough to enjoy the recent economic opportunities.

The culture of Cambodians, both religious and cultural, is confronting modernity, which usually deletes these values, starting from family life, the relationships between parents and children, and those between the elderly and the young.

The other topics are more material. They are Phnom Penh and especially the White Building, as a metaphor for Cambodia.

The White Building became an emblem but it only represented degradation, adversity, troubles, human misery. In the midst of those ruins, people have generated a lifestyle and dreams. It was a collective dream, to live together in a clean and renovated flat. It is the director's vision:

“Every night after the shooting, I would have dreams about this building, all my dreams were about my neighbors and the people in the building living and having a fun time.” (2)

Kavich Neang dreams of neighbours, friends and joyful sharing in the same space. At the same time, there is the nightmare, the demolition; in another interview, he confirms it:

“Curieusement, il m’arrive parfois de rêver de la destruction du bâtiment.” (3)

In dreams, the past, or its oneiric state, can be confused with reality.

“Et là, c’est la confusion entre passé et présent.” (3)

In fact, the film White Building is a clash between past and present. Kavich Neang's thought is agitated for the future of his nation. The White Building is the symbol, the metaphor.

Cambodia is traditionalist, intimately faithful, with intense respect for the elderly. This feeling is presented in the film; the director explains it:

“Even if you live in such a place, you can still have dreams. It's just like the main character that he wants to be a famous dancer. His family doesn't support her. His house is about to be demolished. It's hard to fight for such a dream." (4)

Samnung has only one expectation: to dance. Unfortunately, his wish does not coincide with his miserable existence. The parents do not recognize his wishes. They had a hard life, so their experiences and their history are very different. The author:

“What can a young person today learn from parents who lived in a very different historical period? I do not think it is easy for the younger generations to learn from the mistakes of the previous ones. As far as, I see and as far as, I understand, there is always a certain gap between generations in Cambodian society. It is difficult for us to share and speak openly, even in the family. And then, there is no encouragement in society to openly discuss our experiences, our families ... even among peers. I do not know if I can do anything about it, but with my film I would like to share and explore this silence. I hope someone can reflect and reflect on it." (5)

Sometimes, traditionalism is a brake for adolescents. It is difficult for young people to obtain space. There is no dialogue with the previous generation. Samnung does not express his disappointment. Therefore, he is comfortable in the filth of the White Building. There, he can talk with residents, and someone listens to him.

The director does not reject rituals and filial piety, he believes both are correct. If deference prevents the teenagers from fulfilling their needs, traditions will be a problem:

“I understand that traditional forms of family relationships are important and it is definitely a good thing for society, but I also think these can become a problem for someone. Putting too much emphasis on respect for parents risks cancelling the perception of their own needs… Samnang always listens to his parents. Sometimes he is not even capable of making decisions about his future, as he is so absolute in his commitment to his family. This slows down her personal growth, her ability to find her way." (5)

Kavich Neang has the right idea. He does not wish to erase culture and civilization. His desire is to improve it, adapt it. The hostility is over, Pol Pot is dead, Cambodia is socially improving and the author rightly wonders:

"I wonder if traditional family ties are really enough to protect and guide us, and how can we develop our personality while maintaining respect for family and tradition?" (5)

A building can be razed to the ground, but it is important to be careful. Someone can be crushed. The White Building was disgusting. It was dilapidated, but it created an emotionally overprotected state; how could anyone live there? How could an urgent demolition be reconciled with the needs of people?

Samnang is different, he asks and searches. He takes care of his parents, his father's diabetes. He advises him not to use traditional methods to treat the infection. He pushes him to follow the progress and contact a doctor. Samnung wishes to dance, but he can't. He would like to leave, he would like to abandon his parents, who returned to their native village:

“Here, people say, ”When the grown-ups are talking, listen and don’t interrupt.“ But Samnang asks questions. He has a desire for affirmation.” (6)

Samnang longs for returning to Phnom Penh.

Another theme of the film is Phnom Penh. A city founded around the splendid intersection of two rivers, the Bassac and the Mekong. However, it needs a large-scale restoration. In fact, the central districts are interminable construction sites. For this reason, the White Building was torn down. Renovations are not free of charge. They cause loss and sufferings. The weaker subjects will be annihilated. Director:

“I don't think urban regeneration is a bad idea, quite the opposite, but I want to understand what then happens in practice, and specifically how this process has happened in Cambodia in recent years. In my opinion, people who have been removed from the place where they live, are the ones who have no profit while the builders gain a lot. Residents have sometimes been kicked out of their homes without honest compensation and some have been jailed for protesting their rights. This injustice. This is the reason I filmed White Builing." (5)

It is not possible to live in the dirt. Renovations require money. Therefore, investors sell at high prices. The previous owners cannot afford it. They are the victims. The second one is a way of life. The calm of the inhabitants, their ability to socialize in the waste, vanishes. According to the author, it is the evolution of Phnom Penh:

“The Chinese presence is noticeably growing. But what has changed most, I’d say, is the rhythm of the city. Its inhabitants are more stressed as it becomes harder to go at their usual pace. Even so, their mentality is the same as ever. I consider myself a witness to these changes, which are partially due to globalization. Today, thanks to new technologies, everything is faster.” (6)

It won't be immediately, but even Phnom Penh will transform. Cambodians will be forced to change their mentality, to challenge time, to consume it until they have no more. It is globalization. Phnom Penh will be like New York, London, Paris, or Milan? I do not hope so.

Samnung is at this stage. He is active, witty, and a good dancer. With his friends, he has fun, drinks, woos girls in an extravagant way. With his parents, he is humble, shy, polite, worried. He has aspirations, but they are held back by his situation. Mates have the same qualities. They are visionaries, but also realistic enough to submit to the decisions of their families.

Samnung is drinking at night on the roof with them. The latter is sad. He is filmed in close-up, the illumination in the background is blurred, melancholy. He is talking about the dance contest. He is organizing the training. The friend does not answer. Then, he confesses, he will emigrate with his family to France. Silence. The camera slowly moves towards Samnung's face. Silence. Samnung: “What about the competition?” The dream shattered like the White Building.

The characters of the three boys are excellently outlined in line with the themes and ideas of the film. Samnung sees a mike abandoned and sadly remembers the races with friends. They love each other, but perhaps they too are changing along with Phnom Penh.

Parents are faced with numerous adversities. The father is the head of the building. He is urged both by the need of the property to have the building immediately and the demands of the inhabitants. He is austere, fragile and wary of power. He does not know how to treat it.

He deals with the worsening of diabetes and foot contagion in a self-destructive, fatalistic, karmic path. He rejects drug therapy. He uses only natural substances of questionable efficacy. When the putrefaction worsens, he refuses, for lack of money, to visit the doctor and personally proceeds to cut his fingers. The result will be tragic.

The environmental introduction is bold. The White Building and Phnom Penh are the predominant protagonists.

The conflicts are many. Samnung with the ambition to dance, with the ambition to escape from home, in his efforts to have a girlfriend, in helping his parents, in assisting his sick father, in avoiding the destruction of the White Building. In the story, the conflicts are highlighted exactly. The consequences are unfortunate. The friend leaves, the group breaks up, his father's leg has been amputated, the girls snub and laugh at him, his house is torn down, his parents have to go back to the countryside.

The enemies are France, diabetes, the construction company, poverty; can an undecided boy face these adversaries? Could he possibly reach his sister? Will he be able to leave his parents? Will he be able to have a girlfriend?

One of the most enjoyable scenes is a strange board up with girls. On one motor scooter, there are three friends. They are joyful, they joke. They notice three girls, all on a motorcycle. They invite them out, tell them many compliments, make funny grimaces and it is more than a joke. The girls are unfriendly, they answer them badly, they crush all ambitions with a nasty phrase: "You might wanna look at your bike before you invite us out."

The film is divided into three sections. The first is the cheerful, youthful, adolescent one:

“the first part, represents the insouciance of youth, when you remember a special, very happy day, as if in a dream before the brutal wakeup when you have to face reality and be responsible.” (6)

The three boys are the dominants, along with the constant presence of the White Building.

The second is the conclusion of the White Building, negotiations, doubts, defeat, and escape. To the director, it is the religious and karmic aspect:

“ … is closer to something invisible, a feeling of pressure that may be spiritual, religious or cultural. For me, it speaks to anxiety and the gulf between generations. è più vicina a qualcosa di invisibile, una sensazione di pressione che può essere spirituale, religiosa o culturale. Per me, parla di ansia e di abisso tra generazioni.” (6)

In the third part, Samnung and his family are in the village. It is a picturesque, naturalistic, lush place, but they were losers. His father was mutilated, his leg was severed from the knee. Nevertheless, it gets worse. The monsoon is coming, and Samnung once again has the doubt to come back to Phnom Penh:

“Monsoon, is more bittersweet. A lot of people who were thrown out of the city cannot afford to move back, so they settle in their ancestral villages. In the film, it’s a peaceful place, close to nature, … . Just like the rainy season, which refreshes and revitalizes while bringing a hint of melancholy, Samnang is conflicted at the end. We don’t know which destiny he will choose: following his family or striking out on his own.” (6)

The last section is short, unfinished, and breaks off.

The three sections relate to the specific episodes in the story. It forms a structure based on intertwined tales. The harmony, the tension, the metaphorical play, the symbology create coherence with the characters and the director's vision. Kavich Neang enhances them using three types of colour:

“The colors follow the development of the story: saturated, vibrant and upbeat at the beginning; the second part is slightly toned down, sharper when reality is more intrusive; and the third has softer, slightly faded, more vintage colors. I colori seguono lo sviluppo della storia: saturi, vibranti e ottimista all'inizio; la seconda parte è leggermente attenuata, più nitida quando la realtà è più invadente; e il terzo ha colori più tenui, leggermente sbiaditi, più vintage.” (6)

The choice of colouration is determined by the intrinsic nature of the segment.

The most melodramatic scenes are rooftop encounters. It is the setting of dreams. At night, the kids sit down to discuss their lives. Everything disappears, only filth remains on the roofs.

Conversations with the father occurred in the dark with a soft light. Samnung is detached, unable to confide and his parent cannot comprehend his son's desires. Does he not understand them? Or does he not want to understand them? Or is it his karma? The father obeyed his father, and so should Samnung. However, he does not tell him anything, a son should understand by himself. The allegorical scene of their relationship took place in the White Building. There is no one in the long, dingy corridor, there is no one. It is empty, everyone is gone. Samnang walks, observes, thinks. He sees his father elegantly dressed. They look at each other, and the father leaves. In the last frame, the building is destroyed, a loud noise announces its epilogue.

The camera moves slowly, with an orderly and simple style. The editing is based on footage from Last Night I Saw You Smiling. The cleanest and most rigorous sequences are those of the detailed description of the White Building. In the corridors, the passages, the stairs, the rooms, one rides bicycles, one eats on the ground, babies play, and women work together. So much nostalgia.

White Building website:

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2015/12/inside-phnom-penhs-white-building-a-crumbling-monument-to-utopian-modernism.html, 4 December 2015
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40652014, 24 July 2017
White Building, About the White Building, http://www.whitebuilding.org/en/page/about_the_white_building, last consultation date 3 February 2022
Omar Havana, Evicting Dreams: The Last Days of the White Building https://visura.co/omarhavana/stories/white-building-phnom-penh-cambodia January 2020

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