Ruin

Phirun and Sovanna are two foreigners brought together by chance and the struggle to escape the bitter, nightmarish reality of contemporary Cambodia. The kindred spirits find support in each other, and together they set off on a journey out of the capital Phnom Penh, where social decay and human aggression run rampant. Although they attempt to break out of the vicious cycle of brutality, the pair are unable to free themselves from the insidious destruction even after heading out into the jungle. On the contrary, in the interest of escaping from their civilized hell, they too must sacrifice much. Thanks to the small crew, the absence of a set script, and a good measure of improvisation, this utterly disturbing picture yields an exceedingly authentic experience whose effectiveness is bolstered by the compelling sound mix and the esthetic yet quasi- documentary visual style. Set against the backdrop of an uncommon love story, the filmmakers succeeded in portraying a world that has become unhinged, one still struggling to shake off the country's tragic past. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)