Polish historical outlet Ponad Granicami highlighted director Michał Owerczuk and his documentary Cambodjana, which explores the history of Poland’s peacekeeping presence in Cambodia under the United Nations. The mission was the largest and most complex UN operation in Polish history, involving more than 1,250 Polish soldiers, five of whom lost their lives.
Owerczuk dedicated six years to historical research and gathering archival materials for the documentary. His investigation focused on the events surrounding the defense of the UN base in Siem Reap, where Polish soldiers successfully repelled a Khmer Rouge assault in May 1993.
“Six years of documentary research revealed numerous video materials,” Owerczuk explained (translated from Polish). “Supported by documents and eyewitness accounts, we reached several pieces of information. It turns out that the Poles not only repelled the attack without losses of their own, but also prevented a massacre of civilians from neighboring villages, and the Khmer Rouge did not enter the city of Siem Reap.”
Cambodjana previously received a post-production award from the Documentary and Feature Film Studios and was screened at the 15th NNW International Film Festival in Gdynia in 2023, with Owerczuk continuing work toward a broader public premiere.
Original source: Ponad Granicami.
Source: Ponad Granicami (opens in a new tab). Facts checked against the source on .
