LE PAPIER NE PEUT PAS ENVELOPPER LA BRAISE (AUSSER KONKURRENZ)

Second screening on Wednesday 07th May!

The physical and spiritual ravages of prostitution are explained in the words, and evident in the bodies of women who have been forced to sell themselves in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The 'White House' used to be a fancy residential block; now derelict, it is where these girls ply their trade. In a shattered society, prostitution is not a choice but a necessity. Many of them like Toch, Da and Ksav were sold into this devastating profession by their impoverished families. Degradation, exploitation, physical violence, drugs, abortions and risk of HIV infection taint their daily lives. Most of them were born in the provinces, now they are dying – metaphorically, and all too often in reality – in the city. Every night they give away a piece of themselves, during the day they try to regain a sense of dignity. In the acclaimed Cambodian documentary filmmaker, Rithy Panh's vivid and urgent film, there are tears and occasional laughter. The title reveals the frustration, inevitable destruction, searing anger and almost perverse beauty in the lives of the women we encounter.