Category: Arts

Centuries-old Buddha’s right footprint statue, weighing about three tonnes, is on public display at the Preah Norodom Sihanouk-Angkor Museum in north-west Cambodia’s Siem Reap province, the Apsara National Authority (ANA) said.
The exhibition would help members of the public research, study, and understand important information about religion, arts, and history, with events that took place more than 600-700 years ago in the famed Angkor Archaeological Park, said the ANA, which is the government agency responsible for managing, safeguarding and preserving the Angkor.
Kun Phally, head of the exhibition team and guide at the Preah Norodom Sihanouk-Angkor Museum, said, the footprint statue is 2.1 metres long, 1.15 metres wide, and 31 centimetres high.
“The ancient sandstone Buddha footprint was carved between the 14th and 16th centuries,” he said. “In the centre of the Buddha footprint statue, there is a wheel with 16 spokes, and there are 108 different carvings around the wheel.”
The Buddha footprint statue was painted in black, red, and gold, Phally said, adding that, studies showed that, in the past, the Buddha footprint statue was considered by Cambodian Buddhists as an important object for worship and was kept at the Angkor Wat’s One Thousand Buddhas Gallery from the 14th century until 1985.
He added that later, the Buddha footprint statue was taken to be preserved and restored by the Angkor Conservation Team, before being exhibited at the museum.
Located in Siem Reap city, the Preah Norodom Sihanouk-Angkor Museum is open to national and international tourists from Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, the ANA said.

Source: NAM News Network

The Preah Srey Içanavarman Museum, known as the Sosoro Museum, has been holding a temporary exhibition on “The journey of King Sisowath to France in 1906”.

The free exhibition features rare pictures and items from the early 20th century, said the museum located near Psar Chass (Old Market) Garden in Phnom Penh.

Inaugurated early October 2022, the event will last until April 2, 2023, the source pointed out, adding that it has been realised with the scientific guidance of Professor Olivier de Bernon, member of the Ecole française d’Extrême Orient (EFEO).

The exhibition is open to all and accessible directly from street 102 (garden entrance) or from the main entrance on street 106, from Tuesday to Sunday.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

The European Film Festival Cambodia returns to Phnom Penh for ten days, from Feb. 17 to 26, 2023 offering a wide range of films ranging from inspirational drama and uplifting comedy to chilling true crime and heart-warming fantasy.

According to a press release, hosted by the European Union Delegation to Cambodia, this year’s festival will take place at four locations across the city – Aeon 1 Mall’s Major Cineplex theatre, French Institute, Meta House and Bophana Centre, – and features a collection of films from more than 20 countries.

With 26 feature films, two short film events and other unique activities, this year’s European Film Festival Cambodia brings European cinema and insights from industry insiders to the public.

“I’ve always found the craft of filmmaking to be mesmerising,” said Cambodian actress, Kosamak San. “I want to see the gathering of filmmakers from Europe to share and showcase their works and the beauty of filmmaking.”

Setting the stage for ten days of screenings will be a pre-event panel discussion on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at Phnom Penh’s French Institute, where Kosamak will be joined by other film industry professionals; Ines Sothea, Cedric Eloy, Jimmy Henderson, and Nicolas Sacré.

The panel will examine cross-cultural collaboration and what this means for Cambodia’s next generation of movie makers. The event will also provide context and insights on the impacts of foreign film festivals and examine what makes cinema such a transcendent medium for profound cultural exchange and conclude with a Q&A session.

“Cinema has an amazing power because it can showcase things very precisely, with image and sound,” said Nicolas Sacré, dean of Phnom Penh’s PSE film school. “It opens our eyes and our minds to global situations and helps us understand the world better.”

With the tone set for the week, Ukrainian film, Mother of Apostles, will kick off screenings on Feb. 17 at the French Institute’s garden.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

The 7th River Festival to be held in Kampong Thom province from Mar. 8 to 10, 2023 will be themed “Our River for Now and Next”, the Ministry of Tourism said in an announcement on Monday.

The annual festival will be organised by the Ministry of Tourism in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, the Ministry of Commerce, Kampong Thom Provincial Hall, the Olympic National Committee of Cambodia, Kampong Thom Provincial Chamber of Commerce, concerned ministries and institutions, as well as private sector.

The River Festival aims to further promote tourism potentials of the provinces along the river as well as to encourage the participation of local people in sustainable tourism development, the ministry said.

This year, it continued, the River Festival will undertake main activities such as TVs live broadcast for national and international arts performances, concerts and fireworks; and Khmer and international food and beverage fair, tourism product exhibition, agri-tourism and local commercial products exhibition, and the presentation of the tourism development projects from each province along the river.

Water sports activities performed by national and international sport players are also part of the main programme in the annual festival, the source added.

The ministry also invited all national and international tourists to visit and celebrate this important festival.

River Festival is organised every year on a rotation basis by the riparian provinces, and the first round was organised in Kratie in 2015, followed by the second in Stung Treng, the third in Kampong Cham and Thbong Khmum, the fourth in Kandal, the fifth in Kampong Chhnang, and the sixth in Battambang.

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press

Siem Reap province will host the Rice Festival from Jan. 27 to 29 at Preah Reach Damnak Garden along its riverside.

The event aimed at disseminating the potential of rice sector, which is considered as “White Gold” of Cambodia.

It also intends to encourage internal tourist movement as part of the “Visiting Our Country”, “Clean Cambodia”, “Clean City, Clean Resort, Good Service and Best Hospitality” campaigns.

According to Mr. Philip Kao, President of Siem Reap Tourism Club Association, the Rice Festival will feature exhibition of rice processed into range of products and development of blue and gold rice paddy nursery, and Miss Planet International was also invited for the event.

Cambodia’s rice branded as “Angkor Jasmine” has won the World’s Best Rice for four times in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2018, while “Phkar Romdul” got the title in 2022.

The event was initiated by Siem Reap Tourism Club Association and Cambodia Rice Federation in collaboration mainly with the Ministries of Tourism; Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Commerce; and Culture and Fine Arts; Siem Reap Provincial Administration, Siem Reap Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC).

Source: Agency Kampuchea Press