Cambodia Picks Horror Film ‘Tenement’ for Oscar Bid

Cambodia has officially submitted the psychological horror thriller Tenement as its entry for Best International Feature at the 98th Academy Awards. Co-directed by Inrasothythep Neth and Sokyou Chea, the film explores trauma and memory through the eyes of Soriya, a Cambodian-Japanese manga artist who returns to Phnom Penh after her mother’s death. Set in a crumbling tenement from the Khmer Rouge era, the story unfolds in a haunting blur between past and present.

Premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2024, Tenement has since toured major festivals including Osaka, Seattle, Sitges, and Ho Chi Minh City, where it won Best Production Design. Shot between Tokyo and Phnom Penh, the film’s use of Dolby Atmos marks a technical milestone for Cambodian cinema.

Produced by Westec Media Limited and Kongchak Pictures, the film’s international sales are managed by Paris-based Reel Suspects. Its Oscar submission continues Cambodia’s efforts to gain recognition on the global stage. The country’s only nomination to date was Rithy Panh’s The Missing Picture in 2013, while Davy Chou’s Return to Seoul reached the shortlist in 2022.

With Tenement, Cambodia blends genre storytelling with historical reflection, offering a chilling yet poignant narrative that could resonate with Academy voters.

-2025-09-08