Britannica AI Icon

The Killing Fields

film by JoffƩ [1984]

Quick Summary

The Killing Fields is a 1984 film directed by Roland JoffƩ that depicts the brutal Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. The film tells the story of Cambodian photojournalist Dith Pran and his assistant, Sydney Schanberg, during the Khmer Rouge seizure of power in 1975.1

The film highlights the horrific events of the Cambodian genocide, during which an estimated 1.5 to 3 million Cambodians died from executions, forced labor, starvation, and disease between 1975 and 1979. Actor Haing S. Ngor, who survived the regime himself, won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Dith Pran. The film brought international attention to the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge.21

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. Haing S. Ngor
  2. Cambodian genocide

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.