For a Smile of the Future – 50 Years After the Fall of Phnom Penh (Exploring memory, resilience and hope)

EVENT DESCRIPTION

50 years after the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge — an event that ushered in one of the most brutal regimes in modern history — Cambodia continues to heal from its past, rebuilding and redefining its future. For a Smile of the Future – 50 Years After the Fall of Phnom Penh. Exploring memory, resilience and hope invites reflection on this painful legacy while celebrating the Cambodian people’s extraordinary resilience. Through diverse artistic and cultural expressions, the event explores stories of recovery, hope, and renewal honoring the journey from tragedy to rebirth.

Opening – Friday 28/11 (6.45 pm – 9.30 pm)
Join us for an impactful evening of arts & education (film screening & photo exhibition), exploring the themes of Memory, Resilience & Hope.
Experience a captivating documentary film screening alongside a moving photo exhibition that offers intimate glimpses into Cambodia’s journey.
Explore themes of Memory, Resilience and Hope as we reflect on a significant chapter in history. This is more than just an event; it’s a chance to engage with powerful stories that inspire and educate.
The film director and curator, Iv Charbonneau-Ching, and the photographer of the exhibition, Roland Neveu, will be joining us.
https://pse_opening.eventbrite.hk

Special Night: SCREENING The Perfect Motion & PHOTO Exhibition – Wednesday 03/12 (6.45 pm – 9.30 pm)
Watch the documentary film screening “The Perfect Motion” alongside the photo exhibition Through the Eye of the Storm.
The film director, Xavier de Lauzanne, and the curator of the exhibition, Iv Charbonneau-Ching, will be present.
https://pse_closing.eventbrite.hk

Photo Exhibition: Through the Eye of the Storm – from 01/12 until 10/12, every weekday (9:00 am – 6:00 pm)
Photos by Roland Neveu, war photographer and witness to a tragic history: 50 years ago, the fall of Phnom Penh seen from the French Embassy.
On April 17, 1975, Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, fell under the final assault of the Khmer Rouge, leading to a tragic genocide that targeted educated individuals and dismantled the country’s educational infrastructure.
While millions of inhabitants were forced onto the roads of slavery, hunger, and, for so many, death, hundreds of foreign nationals sought refuge within the walls of the French Embassy. Not knowing what fate awaited them, they sought to ward off fear by organizing, as best they could, their lives as castaways. Beyond the walls of the Embassy, they became powerless witnesses to a tragedy unfolding before their eyes.
This exhibition, curated by Iv Charbonneau-Ching, retraces the fall of Phnom Penh through the photographs of Roland Neveu and presents the stories of four witnesses to these events, drawn from exclusive interviews conducted in 2025.
Through these images and voices, the exhibition not only documents the fall of Phnom Penh, but also opens a window onto the intimate experience of those who lived through it. The photographer’s eye and the survivors’ words resonate with one another, reviving the fear, uncertainty, and resilience that marked those days. By making these rare memories visible and audible, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on the fragility of human lives in the face of violence, and on the vital need to transmit these experiences so they are not forgotten. More than a return to the past, it is a human encounter that still speaks to us today.
https://pse_photoexhibition.eventbrite.hk

All proceeds will be donated in full to the association Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (PSE).
An event organized with the support of the French Consulate in Hong Kong, Veolia and On the List.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (PSE) has been active for 30 years. The organization has become a key player in Cambodia’s social and educational landscape. Every day, Pour un Sourire d’Enfant supports 7,000 children and their families through education, vocational training, and medical and psychosocial care programs. Since 1995, 14,000 children have been rescued. By lifting children out of poverty and giving them access to
education and a career, PSE helps shape the future drivers of Cambodia’s development.