International Film Festival of Ottawa

Coalesce (with Once the Dust Has Settled)

Expired March 19, 2021 7:00 AM
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Coalesce (Feature Film): Set in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, Coalesce contemplates the city’s rapid urbanization, neon-lit streets, growing wealth and economic disparity, and burgeoning youth culture. Reflecting the city itself, a non-professional cast portrays three young people desperately exploring their space and identities in this new world, while seeking out opportunities to find their footing. 


Once the Dust Has Settled (Short Film): A Canadian town called Asbestos was once home to the largest mine of its kind in the world. Today, the open-pit mine around which the city is established only acts as a constant reminder of a not-so-distant industrial past. 


About the Pairing:

One is a documentary, one fiction, and each set worlds apart, but Once the Dust Settles and Coalesce both share stories of the effects of economic hardship on the microcosms of a small town and a small family.


- Keltie Duncan

In Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, there are three young men. Songsa came to Phnom Penh to help sell clothes. Thy who wants a motorcycle, but doesn't have money, sets foot in an entertainment establishment. Phearum drives a taxi, but there is no way to pay off his debt. What is the fate that lies before those who have to pursue money and dreams in a difficult reality? The film is based on a rapidly changing Cambodian society, with the story of three characters intersecting.


Content warning: mature themes

  • Year
    2020
  • Runtime
    83 minutes
  • Language
    Khmer, English, French (Subtitles)
  • Country
    Cambodia, France
  • Director
    Jessé Miceli
  • Screenwriter
    Jessé Miceli
  • Producer
    Jessé Miceli
  • Co-Producer
    Gaëlle Jones
  • Cast
    Eang Phearum, Sek Songsa, Rom Rithy, Vann Lek
  • Cinematographer
    Sokheng Run
  • Editor
    Clément Selitzki