Socheata Poeuv
New Year Baby
Suddenly confronted with the history of her family’s survival under Cambodia's Khmer Rouge, Socheata Poeuv documents the story of coming to know of her own past and that of her family. New Year Baby tells of Poeuv's birth in a refugee camp and explores the lives and experiences of Poeuv's family members, some of whom she had never before met.
As she attempts to confront and reconcile the mysteries of her family members’ identities, their history surviving the Khmer Rouge, and the journey that brought them together, Poeuv delicately pieces together a moving and inspiring memoir of discovery and healing.
Perhaps most striking is the unexpected humor that shines through, and the wrenching sadness that comes less from the horrific subject, but more from a family’s love, both tender and vulnerable, amidst unspeakable loss. When New Year Baby was completed more than five years ago, not one member of the Khmer Rouge had ever been brought to trial, and the residual outrage from this injustice is palpable.
As you watch New Year Baby you'll get an emotional, powerful, and human look at one family's journey toward healing, a journey that is replicated by the whole of Cambodia.
