The Healing Circle: Songs, Stories, and Friendship (Film Screening)

Synopsis

The Healing Circle: Songs, Stories, and Friendship is an intimate and visually experimental short documentary that celebrates the resilience of Cambodian women through the healing power of storytelling, art, and music. Centering on Celena Chin, Saroth Loeuk, and Pich Houy, the film follows their remarkable journeys from childhoods in Cambodia to surviving the Cambodian Genocide, seeking refuge in the United States, and rebuilding their lives in Chicago.

Through heartfelt storytelling facilitated by Ada Cheng, these women share their memories of survival, loss, and the strength it took to forge new beginnings. Interwoven with their stories are performances of traditional Cambodian songs sung with deep emotion by Chin, Loeuk, and Houy. They are joined by Punisa Pov, Resident Artist of the National Cambodian Heritage Museum and Killing Fields Memorial, whose roneat ak playing and vocals are accompanied by the Crossing Borders Music string quartet, performing world premiere arrangements by Rasa Mahmoudian.

The documentary delves into the broader history of the Cambodian Genocide, which began on April 17, 1975, when the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia. Over the next four years, more than two million people perished. Now commemorated annually as the Cambodian Day of Remembrance, April 17 serves as a time to honor the lives lost and celebrate the ongoing resilience of the Cambodian people.

Visually, the film employs a split-screen technique and superimposed imagery to create a multidimensional portrait of its subjects, challenging traditional notions of space and time. This experimental approach reflects the intersections of trauma, healing, and creativity, adding depth to the women’s stories and journeys of survival and renewal.

At its heart, The Healing Circle is a tribute to the courage of Cambodian women whose voices are often unheard. It is a powerful testament to the enduring impact of storytelling, music, and community on healing and preserving cultural identity.

Host or Publisher National Cambodian Heritage Museum & Killing Fields Memorial