Cambodia: guest of honour at the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival, between cinema and cultural diplomacy
- Editorial team
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
Cambodia took centre stage in Angoulême from 24 to 29 August, as the Francophone Film Festival dedicated its 19th edition to the Kingdom. Nine Cambodian films were screened, a royal delegation attended, and a major partner, the OCIC group, presented Cambodia's future through its new Techo International Airport.
Cambodia in the spotlight in Angoulême
As guest of honour of the 19th edition of the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival, Cambodia presented nine films over the week of 24 to 29 August. Among them, La joie de vivre (1969), directed by the late King-Father Norodom Sihanouk, was screened in the presence of his daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess Norodom Arunrasmy, a member of the Cambodian delegation at the festival.
OCIC, a committed partner for Cambodian cinema
As a partner of the festival, the OCIC group presented a video dedicated to Cambodia and its new Techo International Airport, accompanied by a performance by Apsara dancers showcasing Khmer culture. The initiative is part of a broader commitment to Cambodian cinema: in 2024, the group had already funded a series of European premieres for La Beauté du geste, a documentary by Xavier de Lauzanne paying tribute to the Royal Ballet of Cambodia and Apsara dance.
More recently, OCIC contributed to the production of Returning Gods, a film by Hun Pen and Yoshiro Osaka tracing the return of Khmer artefacts to Cambodia, as well as to the Pithi – Objects of Ceremony exhibition at Koh Pich City Hall, which showcased the repatriated works.
Beyond language, lasting ties
Cambodia's ties to the Francophone world go beyond language: His late Majesty King-Father Norodom Sihanouk was one of the founding fathers of La Francophonie. This appearance in Angoulême marks another step ahead of the Francophonie Summit, to be held in Phnom Penh in November 2026.
The festival also gave rise to new institutional partnerships. On 24 August, His Excellency Nuon Pharat, Governor of Kampong Thom province, signed a letter of intent with the city of Angoulême, paving the way for cultural cooperation and exchanges between the two territories.
An airport carrying the same vision
The video presented by OCIC also highlighted a project that reaches beyond the festival itself: Techo International Airport. Its architecture draws on Khmer heritage, with hand-carved details, a golden Buddha at its centre and a roofline evoking traditional Cambodian architecture. That architectural identity has earned it international recognition, with the airport recently named among the world's most beautiful airports by the Prix Versailles.
This year, the Angoulême festival helped introduce Cambodian cinema to an international audience, while Techo Airport opens a new gateway into the country.
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