L’image Manquante/The Missing Picture
Film: L’image manquante/The Missing Picture (Rithy Panh, 2013, 92m)
Readings: World Cinema, Ch. 1: What is world cinema; The Cinema of Rithy Panh, Introduction (Leslie Barnes and Joseph Mai); The Cinema of Rithy Panh, Ch. 13: Memory Translation (David LaRocc
Please be advised that your assignments will be graded on the following criteria:
(25 pts.) Understanding of the readings and notes: The post responds to the prompt and shows that the author has synthesized the readings and notes. When sources are required, they are used effectively and ethically.
(25 pts.) Engagement with the films: The post shows in-depth analysis and responds fluently to the weekly films by providing specific examples to support the author’s stance.
(20 pts.) Proper use of film terms: The response uses terminology appropriate to film, such as long shot, mise-en-scène, and parallel editing. Additionally, the post refers to characters and places by name and names directors, actors, and film release years.
(20 pts.) Organization and elegance of expression: The response has an overall point to make and sentences stay on topic. Paragraphs stay on topic. In other words, the response is focused. Also, it shows creativity of expression. Sentence structure varies within paragraphs to achieve various effects. The prose contributes to the persuasive appeals of the post. The writing seems natural and thoughts appear to flow into each other.
(10 pts.) Following the conventions of edited written English: The response uses proper vocabulary, sentence structure, and additional conventions of edited written English (such as verb forms and tenses, correct capitalization, punctuation, and spelling). There are few to zero grammatical errors that get in the way of the author’s purpose or the reader’s understanding. Additionally, all sources are properly cited.
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Introduction
Director Rithy Panh's "L'image manquante/The Missing Picture" takes audiences through Cambodia's turbulent history under the Khmer Rouge. Panh uses a unique blend of animation, archival footage, and meticulously crafted clay diorama figurines to tell a deeply personal and emotionally charged story that recreates past atrocities and grapples with the 1975–1979 loss of cultural identity. Panh, born in 1964, experienced these traumas, bringing intimacy to his account. This film poignantly explores his search for truth and his desire to reclaim his youth from the oppressive regime. As we explore "L'image manquante," we will discover cinema's power as a tool for personal and historical exploration and how it defies categorization, prompting us to reconsider representation, memory, and trauma in global cinema.
Rithy Panh's intimate connection to "L'image manquante/The Missing Picture’s harrowing events gives his film a powerful emotional depth that resonates with the course's central theme: cinema's transformative power to explore one's history and identity in the context of world cinema. Panh was 11 when the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia in 1964, his birth year (Panh, 2013). This film brings him to terms with his childhood pain and grief. His experience with these historical events shows how cinema may help people confront their pasts and identities. Panh's story reflects the growing use of international cinema to explore cultural origins, historical traumas, and personal experiences. Thus, his work shows how film narratives can impact people worldwide regardless of location.
The film's creative use of clay diorama miniatures as storytelling devices is startling and meaningful. These