A primary school in Battambang City and several blocks surrounding it will be closed for four days next week to make way for the shooting of Angelina Jolie-Pitt’s film “First They Killed My Father,” provincial officials said on Wednesday.
Ngy Set, director of Battambang’s provincial education department, said the Bophana Center—founded by filmmaker Rithy Panh, who is co-producing the film—sent a letter to the department asking for permission to shoot at the Pi Thnou Primary School.
“I have responded to them approving their use of Pi Thnou for shooting,” he said, adding that although students would miss three days of school, he had advised the school’s director to make up for the missed classes.
“I will tell the director of Phi Thnou primary school to make up for the students’ classes every Thursday,” when the students do not normally attend school, he said.
Em Sary, an official in the commune office, said the Bophana Center had informed her it would also recruit about 1,000 people to participate in the filming.
“The company made an announcement that it was looking for people who live in Battambang to join in the shooting,” she said.
