Jolie Films ‘Cambodian’ Scenes in Thailand

Eighteen months ago, Angelina Jolie starred in the first Hollywood movie to be shot at Angkor Wat in more than 30 years. Now she is back in Southeast Asia making another film partially set in Cam­bodia.

Only this time, it’s being shot in Thailand.

Cambodian film officials said Wednesday they had not heard about the new movie and have no idea why it is not being filmed here. “We know nothing about that,” said Som Sokun, director of the Ministry of Culture’s film department.

“Maybe they think that Khmer and Thai do not look so different, so they can shoot” without hiring genuine Cambodians, he said, noting that the last major movie made about Cambodia—“The Killing Fields”—was shot in Thailand and the Philippines.

He further speculated that moviemakers may be saving money by filming in Thailand, where the terrain is similar but the roads and services are better than in Cambodia. It won’t fool Cambodians, he said, but others may not know the difference.

Jolie’s involvement with Cam­bodia began in late 2000, when she arrived in Siem Reap to play the title character in “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” a special-effects laden fantasy thriller based on a popular video game.

A film crew spent 10 days shooting scenes at Angkor Wat and the Ta Prohm temple, and Jolie was so taken with Cambodia that she returned in July and November of last year, donated a large sum to build schools, and has since adopted a Cambodian orphan.

She has been named an am­bassador for the UN High Com­missioner for Refugees and has toured development projects for refugees along the Thai-Cam­bodian border.

The new movie, “Beyond Bor­ders,” received extensive coverage in Wednesday’s editions of the Bangkok Post and The Nation. The newspapers reported that the film is a love story involving a volunteer doctor working in refugee camps in Africa and Cambodia and a married woman from the US, portrayed by Jolie.

The Mandalay Films production will be shot in Chiang Mai, Montreal and Namibia, and will employ more than 1,000 Thais, the papers reported.

According to The Nation, the project began in 1999, but has run into difficulties. It was originally to have been written and directed by Oliver Stone, and earlier stars linked with it include Catherine Zeta-Jones, Kevin Costner, Meg Ryan, Ralph Fiennes and Julia Roberts.

The Post described the new film as a “collaborative work” by Oliver Stone, Caspian Tredwell-Owen, Cyrus Nowrasteh and Jere­my Brock. In addition to Jolie, it will star Clive Owens. The director is Martin Campbell and the producer is Lloyd Phillips.

Som Sokun said he understands that movie production companies make decisions based on the bottom line, but said Cam­bodia stands ready to host movie crews whenever possible.

“If they come here, we will welcome them and cooperate with them, in order to show them the reality in our country,” he said.

 

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