CIFF 360 in Kep : Cédric Eloy, "Put down your phone and see the world differently"

Cédric Eloy, director of the Cambodia International Film Festival, has made it his mission to take cinema beyond Phnom Penh's air-conditioned screening rooms and bring it to places where stories hit differently. We met him in Kep, by the sea, for the second edition of CIFF 360.

Cédric Eloy, director of the Cambodia International Film Festival

In Cambodia, cinema doesn't stop at the capital's city limits. For fifteen years, the Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) has established itself as the country's most important film event. But two years ago, a new venture was born: CIFF 360, a roaming offshoot of the festival that sets up in unexpected places, far from the multiplex, to spark a different kind of conversation. This edition has set up its screens in Kep — a quiet coastal town in the country's south.

Why did you choose Kep for CIFF 360?

For fifteen editions now, the festival has been rooted in Phnom Penh. It's the biggest film event in Cambodia — one that speaks to the general public, cultural organisations and industry professionals alike. But we wanted to go further, literally. To leave the capital, to explore other places. That's where the CIFF 360 concept came from: a festival within a festival, nomadic by design, that moves to a different location every year. Kep felt like a natural fit. The town offers something you can't easily find in Phnom Penh — a slowness, a quality of light, a space for conversation that the city rarely allows.

How did the first edition go last year?

It was a shorter run — three days, compared to five this year — with outdoor and daytime screenings. Kep isn't a big town, the local population is small, and we knew we were going in somewhat blind. But the audience showed up for every screening, and the exchanges were remarkable.

There was something very particular about the quality of the conversations that emerged after the films. Whether the subject matter was light or serious, they provoked a kind of thoughtful, unhurried dialogue that's genuinely different from the atmosphere of an urban festival, where everything moves fast and formats tend to be quite rigid.

"In Kep, something unique happens: thoughtful conversation, freed from the noise of cities."

Was the partnership with Knai Bang Chatt decisive?

Absolutely. CIFF 360 is also a story about partners. The work with the Knai Bang Chatt and Kep West teams has been fundamental. In a first edition, you're getting to know each other, finding your footing, occasionally fumbling. This year, we know who does what, we've found our complementary strengths. And that changes everything. The machine runs smoothly now, and that's what allows us to look ahead with real ambition.

Cédric Eloy, director of the Cambodia International Film Festival

So what's next for CIFF 360? Siem Reap? Battambang?

Both names are already in the conversation, yes. Battambang, with Phare, is a serious lead. Siem Reap too — we have partners there who have expressed strong interest. Both cities carry extraordinary cultural and artistic histories in Cambodia; they're built for this kind of event. Of course, you need infrastructure, financial backing, solid partners. But the Kep experience has given us a working model, a way of doing things that we can now replicate elsewhere. That's exactly the ambition of CIFF 360: to be a festival in motion.

A final word for festival-goers?

I want people to enjoy these moments for the films, of course. But above all, to reconnect — with each other, face to face. At a time when our lives are glued to smartphone screens, there's something precious about putting your phone down, sitting in the dark or under the stars, and sharing a collective emotion. Hearing a filmmaker talk about their work, meeting people you'd never have crossed paths with otherwise: that's what a festival is. It's irreplaceable.

In Brief

Cédric Eloy is the director of the Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF), the country's largest film event, whose programming and development he has led for many years.

CIFF 360 is the festival's roaming extension, conceived to bring film culture beyond Phnom Penh. By taking quality cinema to cities like Kep, Battambang and Siem Reap, CIFF 360 bets on film's power to forge connections — far from the big screens, in places where real dialogue is still possible.