Enemies of the People (film)

Enemies of the People is a 2009 documentary film directed by Rob Lemkin and Thet Sambath. The film investigates the brutal atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, focusing particularly on the mass killings carried out by middle-ranking Khmer Rouge cadre.

Thet Sambath, a Cambodian journalist whose family members were victims of the Khmer Rouge, spent ten years documenting the regime. The film centers around Sambath's extensive interviews with Nuon Chea, Pol Pot's second-in-command and considered the chief ideologue of the Khmer Rouge. Through these interviews, Sambath aims to uncover the truth behind the killings and understand the motivations of those who participated.

Enemies of the People provides a chilling account of the systematic violence and ideological fervor that fueled the Cambodian genocide. It explores the complexities of guilt, responsibility, and the enduring trauma of a nation grappling with its past. The film has been praised for its unflinching portrayal of the Khmer Rouge and its significant contribution to understanding one of the 20th century's most horrific genocides. It won a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010.