Anti-Archive

Anti-Archive ANTI-ARCHIVE is an independent Phnom Penh based film production studio established in 2014.

Anti­-Archive produces and co­-produces fiction and documentary films by the emerging, new generation of Cambodian filmmakers, as well as films by international, independent directors shooting in Cambodia. Deliberately provocative, the name Anti­-Archive invites one to rethink the relationship of films and filmmakers with the past and history.

1 day left to apply for Purin Film Fund Short Film Camp!Short Film Camp is an intensive workshop for emerging directors ...
24/09/2025

1 day left to apply for Purin Film Fund Short Film Camp!

Short Film Camp is an intensive workshop for emerging directors and producers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. Over ten days, participants will work closely with mentors to sharpen their writing, directing, and producing skills, leading up to a final pitch of their short film projects.

Four winners of the final pitch will receive funding of 7,500 US, a production package at Baan Film, and a post-production package at White Light Post to produce their short films. Two runner-ups will receive complimentary invitations to Platform Busan at Busan International Film Festival 2026.

The program covers round-trip travel and hotel accommodation for all participants from their Southeast Asian country to Bangkok. Submission is free of charge. You can download the regulations and apply here
🔗 https://www.purin.org/short-film-camp/

Fresh off the exhilarating premiere of BECOMING HUMAN at 부산국제영화제 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), we’re thrille...
23/09/2025

Fresh off the exhilarating premiere of BECOMING HUMAN at 부산국제영화제 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), we’re thrilled to announce the slate of films currently in various stages of production at Anti-Archive — including features, shorts, and documentaries from both emerging and established voices, within and beyond Cambodia.

As producer Daniel Mattes puts it: “They are united by their search for new cinematic forms, and new ways of speaking and expressing themselves.”

Huge thanks to Variety for featuring us! Read the article here to find out what Anti-Archive has going: https://variety.com/2025/film/markets-festivals/cambodia-anti-archive-slate-busan-market-1236525748/

More coming soon — we can’t wait to share these incredible works with you!

Our stars shining on the 부산국제영화제 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) red carpet 🥰Yesterday was an emotional and unf...
20/09/2025

Our stars shining on the 부산국제영화제 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) red carpet 🥰

Yesterday was an emotional and unforgettable experience for Savorn SERAK and Piseth CHHUN as they attended the premiere of BECOMING HUMAN, also their first time ever in Busan!

Polen is also happy to be back to the festival, having been an alumnus of the Busan Asian Film Academy back in 2018.

Don’t miss another screening of Becoming Human tonight at 8PM, followed by a post-screening Q&A with director Polen, actors Savorn and Piseth, and producer Daniel Mattes.

Ahead of tomorrow's Asian Premiere at 부산국제영화제 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), we're excited to share a behind-...
18/09/2025

Ahead of tomorrow's Asian Premiere at 부산국제영화제 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), we're excited to share a behind-the-scenes look from the set of ជាតិជាមនុស្សា (BECOMING HUMAN).

🎟️ Grab your tickets to the screening: biff.kr/eng/html/program/prog_view.asp?idx=82200&c_idx=416

Lights On Minri Media Momo Film Co Kongchak Pictures

A heartfelt and thoughtful review from IndieWire, written by Blake Simons. We’re incredibly grateful for the warm recept...
08/09/2025

A heartfelt and thoughtful review from IndieWire, written by Blake Simons.

We’re incredibly grateful for the warm reception.

✨ Read the full review here indiewire.com/criticism/movies/becoming-human-review-1235149685

We're flying to London after Busan!Huge congratulations to Polen! BECOMING HUMAN is competing in the First Feature Compe...
04/09/2025

We're flying to London after Busan!

Huge congratulations to Polen! BECOMING HUMAN is competing in the First Feature Competition at the BFI London Film Festival.

Screening details: https://shorturl.at/W81Wb

BECOMING HUMAN is heading to Busan ✨We're excited to announce the film's Asian premeire at the 30th edition of 부산국제영화제 B...
03/09/2025

BECOMING HUMAN is heading to Busan ✨

We're excited to announce the film's Asian premeire at the 30th edition of 부산국제영화제 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF)! We might have a few special surprise appearances in Busan… 😉✨ Stay tuned!

The Program's Notes for the selection as part of the "Window on Asian Cinema":
"Becoming Human is the feature debut of Polen who has consistently addressed environmental and social issues through his short films and documentaries [...] In the calm, flowing conversations between Thida and Hai, Cambodia′s historical trauma and contemporary pain are laid bare."

More details about the festival's screening: https://www.biff.kr/eng/html/program/prog_view.asp?idx=82200&c_idx=416

Following our World Premiere at La Biennale di Venezia, we also had some press reports about the film and the Biennale Cinema-College program.

"The movie, like all the selections of the colleges this year, has a very solid grounding in its respective country, and LY has found an apt and moving metaphor for the tragedy of Cambodia’s last 70 years."
https://www.rogerebert.com/festivals/venice-film-festival-2025-the-biennale-college

Also on Vogue!
https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/chanel-partners-with-biennale-college-2025

BECOMING HUMAN has wrapped its screenings at La Biennale di Venezia. For Polen's first feature, it's been an honor to sh...
01/09/2025

BECOMING HUMAN has wrapped its screenings at La Biennale di Venezia.

For Polen's first feature, it's been an honor to share the festival with so many incredible filmmakers and alongside our Biennale College-Cinema grantees!

More news on our upcoming screenings soon💥

Photo credits: J. Salvi - La Biennale di Venezia - Foto ASAC

✨Snapshots from the La Biennale di Venezia red carpet and the successful World Premiere of Becoming Human! What a night ...
30/08/2025

✨Snapshots from the La Biennale di Venezia red carpet and the successful World Premiere of Becoming Human!

What a night ♥️ Huge congratulations to Polen and Daniel! We were also joined by DOP Son Doan, 1st AD Barney Roberts, and composer Pierre Édouard Dumora.

Thank you Prasat Meas Cinema | រោងភាពយន្ត ប្រាសាទមាសLocated next to 2 Thnou Primary School in Krong Battambang, Prasat M...
28/08/2025

Thank you Prasat Meas Cinema | រោងភាពយន្ត ប្រាសាទមាស

Located next to 2 Thnou Primary School in Krong Battambang, Prasat Meas Cinema becomes the stage and heart of our latest film Becoming Human by Ly Polen. In the film, the cinema is where Thida, our spirit guardian of the place, must confront her existence as a ghost and the choice of rebirth.

Little is known about the Battambang cinema. What we do know is that it was built in the 70s as a provincial branch of the main Prasat Meas Cinema in Phnom Penh near Psar Doeurm Kor. According to the book "Here's the Cinema" by Srin Sokmean, the building was first a Lakhon theater before being converted into a cinema space in the early 70s. Before the Khmer Rouge takeover, it used to screen iconic Cambodia epics such as Rattanavong (Biv Chhay Leang, 1969) and Preah Thinavong Neung Neang Pov (Ly Var, 1967).

The first still from Becoming Human captures the front facade of the cinema. Unlike Chenla Theater with its cushioned chairs, Prasat Meas still held onto its wooden chairs, as shown in the second still from the film.

Please note that in the image from the film, it is staged with a fence constructed in front, but normally this is not there! The building remains standing under the care of the Provincial Department of culture, and there are exciting plans in progress to renovate the building in the near future!

We dedicate Becoming Human to Prasat Meas and its legacy of celebrating Cambodian cinema. We're grateful to the Battambang Provincial Department of Culture and Fine Arts and the team there who continue to care for and oversees the building.

🌍 World Premiere screening tomorrow: https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2025/biennale-college-cinema/chiet-chea-manusa-becoming-human

27/08/2025

BECOMING HUMAN trailer is out!

We can't wait to finally share the film with you as the premiere approaches. We can't stress enough how much every member of the cast and crew has meant to the film. We're also deeply grateful for the valuable support from friends near and far.

Starring
SERAK Savorn, CHHUN Piseth, PIN Sreybor

With
PREAB Pouch, THON Sovankiry, SEM Sinak, THO Sovann, RIN Dy, KHUN Sreynoch, and POY Chhunly

Written & Directed by
LY Polen

Producer
Daniel MATTES

Executive Producer
Natalyn ANG of MINRI MEDIA

Associate Producers
Davy CHOU, NEANG Kavich, SAN Danech of ANTI-ARCHIVE
TE Loy, Vincent VILLA of Kongchak Pictures
Son DOAN, Perrine WENS of CAMESCOOP
TAN Si En of Momo Film Co

Line Producer — MEAS Sreylin
Unit Production Manager — SOU Monysak
Location Manager — VAN Socheata
Set Location Manager — CHHEL Chamrong
Assistant Set Location Manager — NOUHEM Tithya
Set Assistant — CHEY Broskol
Extras & Catering Manager — PIN Sreybor

Director of Photography — Son DOAN
1st Assistant Camera / Focus Puller — PROM Maty
2nd Assistant Camera — CHOK Sokchamroeun
Digital Imaging Technician, Post-Production Supervisor & VFX Artist — RAKSMEY Yi Yeang

Sound Engineer — Che VILLANUEVA
Boom Operator — POT Bunnary

1st Assistant Director — Barney ROBERTS
2nd Assistant Director — NENG Bopha
Script Supervisor — SAN Danech
Extras Casting & AD Support — SENG Savunthara

Production Designer — PRUM Bandiddh
Property Master — MEACH Chivy
Set Decorator — MOT Chantha
Assistant Property Master — Rajesh Nand SHARMA
Construction Crew — CHUM Chanthy, LAY Preang, MUT Ye, RITH Chandary

Costume Supervisor — CHEA Sovetornn
Costume Designer — KHUN Sreynoch
Hair & Makeup Artist — SENG Sreypov

Lighting and Grip Equipment by the amazing ST Lighting and PEOU Soytry
Gaffer — SRITUE Patcharakiti
Best Boy — SOK Seun
Key Grip — SOK Kosal
Electricians/Grips — CHEA Leang, MA Polem, ROEUN Pheaktra

Drivers — MAK Moeurn, ROEUN Bunthoeun, FAL Maly, SALES Rithvann,
SON Thang, KONG Vireak, MEAS Thon, TOUCH Soheng

Editor — NEANG Kavich

Colorist — Evy ROSELET

Titles Designer — TOUCH Sonich

Post-Production Studio by Cobalt Films

Audio Post-Production by Kongchak Studio:
Sound Supervisor, Designer, and Re-Recording Mixer — Vincent VILLA
Soundscape Designer and Assistant Re-Recording Mixer — KIM Sreymoch
Foley Sound Designer — ROS Sreynith
Production Sound Editor — Elie OMMERING
Studio Coordinator — MEUN Sinfiny
Studio Technician — Guilhem ZERBIB
Managing Director — Loy TE
Marketing and Publicity — Nicolas THEVENET

Original Music:
Music Producer — Vincent VILLA
Music Composers — Jean-Charles BASTION, Pierre Édouard DUMORA
Assistant Music Composer — Lynn Nandar HTOO
Musicians — SAY Tola (Tro), Jean-Charles BASTION (Cello), SOUN Sopheak (Percussion)

A special thanks also to Phare Ponleu Selpak - Battambang, Phare Creative Studio ស្ទូឌីយ៉ូគំនិតច្នៃប្រឌិតហ្វារ, Matthew Ly, and Setsochhata Sin

Thanks also to ក្រសួងវប្បធម៌ និងវិចិត្រសិល្ប:, the Department of Cinema and Cultural Diffusion, and the Province of Battambang.

Thanks especially to the Battambang Provincial Department of Culture and Fine Arts and the team there which oversees the historic Prasat Meas theater and Battambang cinema and which made this film possible thanks to their care and respect for those spaces. We hope to see them renovated in the near future!

This film was developed in the Biennale College-Cinema, organized by La Biennale di Venezia and supported by the Italian Ministry of Culture – General Directorate Cinema, with the additional support of Chanel.

BECOMING HUMAN will have its world premiere at La Biennale di Venezia in just three days, on 29 August!After picking up ...
26/08/2025

BECOMING HUMAN will have its world premiere at La Biennale di Venezia in just three days, on 29 August!

After picking up many awards for the short film, FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY, Polen Ly alongside producer Daniel Mattes are heading to Venice for BECOMING HUMAN!

We’re proud that BECOMING HUMAN is the first Cambodian production to both participate in and win the Venice Biennale’s College-Cinema development program. Co-star Piseth Chhun also returns to the Venice screen once again, following his Best Actor win in the Orizzonti section for Kavich Neang's WHITE BUILDING.

We're also excited to finally unveil the festival poster, featuring a beautiful typography by Cambodian graphic designer Sonich Touch.

Check out the screening schedules here: https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2025/biennale-college-cinema/chiet-chea-manusa-becoming-human

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Phnom Penh

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Our Current Projects

Anti­-Archive is currently producing three feature films and three short films, and is co-producing one film.

Feature Films


  • DOI BOY, a narrative feature directed by Nontawat Numbenchapol, produced by Steve Chen for Anti-Archive (Cambodia) and Bow Supatcha for Mobile Lab Project (Thailand). Winner of Purin Prize, 2017 Southeast Asian Fiction Film Lab (SEAFIC); Special Mention, 2017 Talents Tokyo; Official Selection, 2018 Cannes Cinéfondation L’Atelier. Currently in research and development.

  • WHITE BUILDING, a narrative feature directed by Kavich Neang, produced by Davy Chou for Anti-Archive (Cambodia) and Marine Arrighi (Apsara Films). Winner of JC Entertainment Award and Arte International Prize, 2016 Busan Asian Project Market (APM); Recipient of Project Development Fund, 2017 Tokyo Talents Next Masters Support; Recipient of Images Francophones Production Fund, May 2018; Recipient of Visions Sud Est Production Fund, May 2018; Recipient of World Cinema Fund Europe Production Fund, July 2018; Participant in 45th Session, Résidence of Cannes Cinéfondation, 2017-2018. Currently in research and development.