For Release: 2009-07-06 13:00:00
A family's path from war-torn Laos to the streets of New York reveals a moving story of survival and forgiveness in the 2009 Academy Award-nominated documentary "The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)." The program airs on P.O.V. Tuesday, July 21 at 10/9 p.m. CT on KET2 and KET HD.The film marks the directorial debut of Ellen Kuras, an award-winning cinematographer whose credits include Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Blow, Summer of Sam and Analyze That.
At the heart of "The Betrayal" is Kuras' unique, 23-year collaboration with Thavisouk "Thavi" Phrasavath, a young Laotian refugee Kuras met when seeking language lessons for another project in 1984. The lessons soon turned into long conversations about Lao culture and philosophy, the country's recent tragic history and the story of Thavi's own tortured trip from Laos to Brooklyn. He went from being a 12-year-old hero-worshipping son of a Royal Lao officer to a beleaguered son and brother trying to keep his fatherless family together on America's gang-ridden streets. It's a story rich in ancient Lao lore and sensibility, seen through the fractured glass of geo-political violence and scrambled again by the realities of America's poor inner city.
In a true labor of love, Kuras, with the increasing participation of Thavi as co-director and editor, crafted a lyrical and meditative film, weaving archival footage, cinéma vérité, interviews and striking voiceovers into a poetic montage. "The Betrayal" examines exile, the far-reaching consequences of war and the bonds of family that can be betrayed but never forgotten. It is also a celebration of strength and survival, and the human spirit's capacity to adapt, forgive and rebuild.
P.O.V. "The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)" is a co-production of Pandinlao Films, American Documentary and P.O.V. More information about KET programming and education services, as well as how to support KET, can be found at www.ket.org.
Contact: Amanda Stroud
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