In Beth Pielert's documentary Out of the Poison Tree, a Cambodian-American woman tries to come to terms with the horrors perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge—including the disappearance of her own father—by returning to Indochina to investigate the circumstances of his death. The trip is sparked by an imminent United Nations genocide tribunal, established to try surviving members of Pol Pot's regime, but as Thida Buth Mam's journey through her homeland proceeds, the result becomes less of a political statement than a tale of simple human suffering. Thida talks with many survivors of the brutal era of Communist rule, including one man who as a child had been forced by the guerillas to lay land mines and today not only unearths them but teaches others how to do so (while housing children who've lost limbs), and another who has established a haven for youngsters orphaned by Pol Pot's policies. Ultimately, Thida discovers that while people are unable to forget the horrors, most have embraced forgiveness—not only out of practical necessity due to the fact that many live among former members of the Khmer Rouge, but also because of Buddhist principles enunciated by monks she meets during her travels. Out of the Poison Tree is a simultaneously sad and uplifting portrait of a people struggling to build a new future that also underscores the pain still felt by expatriates who left loved ones and lives behind. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Out of the Poison Tree
(2006) 57 min. DVD: $99: high schools & public libraries; $265: colleges & universities (downloadable study guide included). Center for Asian American Media. PPR. Volume 23, Issue 1
Out of the Poison Tree
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