Thavory Meas Bong

Thavory Meas Bong
Promotional poster
Directed byUon Kon Thuok
Starring
Music bySinn Sisamouth
Distributed byKorng Chak Pheap Yun
CountryCambodia
LanguageKhmer

Thavory Meas Bong (or Thavary Meas Bang,[1] Thavary Meas Bong[2]) (ថាវរីមាសបង; lit. Thavory, "sister of gold") is a 1969 Cambodian melodramatic film directed by Uon Kon Thuok (aka Uong Citta or Uong Kanthouk).[3][4] Distributed by Korng Chak Pheap Yun, it starred Kong Som Eun, Saom Vansodany, Vichara Dany and So Hean. The songs were performed by Sinn Sisamouth.[5]

Premise

Sunny and Sorin want to separate Socheat and Thavory (of whom they are respectively jealous) and they try to convince the latter that she has contracted leprosy.

Cast

Soundtrack

Song Singer(s) Notes
Sronos Tuk Pleang Sinn Sisamouth [6]
Thaovary Meas Bong Sinn Sisamouth

Reception

Linda Saphan described the film as offering a "deep dive into the psychological states of its characters, specifically explored through the supporting roles of obsessive Sunny, played by Vichara Dany, and Sorin, played by So Hean."[7]

The film was called one of the director's "major works" and described as "a landmark work, a romantic drama of rare psychological depth in which the obsessions and unrequited loves of its characters plunge the viewer into the heart of the intimate dilemmas of humanity. Set in contemporary Phnom Penh, this feature film subtly illustrates the contradictions and tensions between social heritage and deep emotions, with an exceptional cast including Som Van Soudany, Kong Som Oeun and Vichara Dany."[8]

Legacy

The film was preserved by the Bophana Audiovisual Research Center; it was screened in 2022 at the ACMI.[2]

The film will also be screened at the 15th Cambodia International Film Festival, in March 2026.[9]

Linda Saphan mentioned, however, that the director had "said that the versions of her films that survive [were] not really the films she made, as they [had] been edited by exhibitors beyond recognition."[10]

References

  1. ^ "Thavary Meas Bang - Cambodia Film Commission". 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  2. ^ a b "Thavary Meas Bong (ថាវរីមាសបង, 1969) | Sat 26 Nov Film screening". www.acmi.net.au. Retrieved 2026-03-10.
  3. ^ "Cambodia's Film History Revealed in Master Class". prestigeonline. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  4. ^ "The Films of Uong Kanthouk (Citta): Early Cambodian Directors - CKS - Center for Khmer Studies". 2023-06-22. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  5. ^ Narayan, Surya (2022-07-11). ""King of Khmer Music": Sinn Sisamouth". The Better Cambodia. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  6. ^ https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501168237/golden-age-of-music-still-shines/
  7. ^ "Faded Reels: The Golden Era of Cambodian Cinema | Weatherhead East Asian Institute". weai.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  8. ^ "Elegy for Citta Uong: A cinematic voice from Cambodia has been silenced". Cambodgemag. 2025-08-08. Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  9. ^ "ភាពយន្តជាង ១៥០រឿងមកពី៤០ប្រទេស - សុីសុីថាមស៍". The Cambodia China Times (in Khmer). 2026-03-12. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  10. ^ "Remnants of the Past: A filmography of Early Cambodian Cinema by LinDa Saphan & Nate Hun | Alice Guy Blaché". www.aliceguyblache.com. Retrieved 2026-03-13.

Further reading

  • LinDa Saphan, Faded Reels: The Art of Four Cambodian Filmmakers, 1960-1975 [contains a chapter on the film][n 1][n 2]

Notes

  1. ^ "Reel Histories | With Dr. LinDa Saphan –Presentation of the book". Retrieved 2026-03-13.
  2. ^ "The Blue Lotus magazine issue 55". Issuu. 2022-09-01. Retrieved 2026-03-13.