Why did you feel compelled to return to this painful period of Cambodian history?
I have come to understand why my family and many thousands of Cambodian were killed. I want to help Cambodians and the world understand in greater detail why this disaster happened in the hope we will not repeat history.

What has been the feedback like in Cambodia?
The film was only shown in one small cinema in Phnom Penh because the government don’t allow it to be shown widely. But those Cambodians who have seen it have been excited and I believe we are entering a new phase of understanding our history. It has encouraged them to learn more about the Khmer Rouge. The younger generation have read books and seen films and heard their parents telling them about atrocity and starvation but they don’t believe, because they’ve grown up in a more peaceful society.

Any comments on the current Thai-Cambodian relationship?
I do not want to see any fighting or killing from the dispute over the border and temple. I am a Cambodian and I have lived through many wars and I see how war always destroys people’s lives and fragments society. If we [Thailand and Cambodia] do not agree at any point, we should solve it in a peaceful way through discussion. But if that is not possible, we should go to court. There we shall have to smile at each other and accept the court’s decision. It is a good lesson for the new generation to learn.

What’s next?
The killing fields are actually a result of the political conflict that went on inside the Khmer Rouge party. We plan to show this in much greater detail in our second film, Suspicious Minds. It will feature the same people as in Enemies of the People. But it will also include others who were on both sides of the political struggle.

Enemies of the People is screened exclusively at SF World Cinema (7/F CentralWorld, Ratchadamri Rd., 02-268-8888. www.sfcinemacity.com).