'Dengue Fever' Highlighted in New Film
The rise of the band is the subject of John Pirozzi's documentary, "Sleep Walking Through the Mekong." (04 August 2008)
Many of Cambodia'semerging rock musicians were killed by the Khmer Rouge, but their music hasbeen carried forward by the band Dengue Fever. The rise of that band, and thecapturing of Cambodia's1960s, are now highlighted in the film, "Sleep Walking Through theMekong." In the past, singers like Ros Serey Sothea, Pen Ron and SinSisamoth sang most of the Cambodian rock songs. Now Cambodian-American singer ChhomNimol and Dengue Fever have picked up where they left off. The documentary, produced by John Pirozzi, seeks tocatalogue the emergence the band, which incorporates elements of American rockinstruments and Khmer lyrics in a unique psychedelic sound. The film was a product of another product, Pirozzi told VOAKhmer, called "Don't Think I've Forgotten: Cambodia's Lost Rock andRoll." As a camera operator in Cambodiain 2001, during the making of the film "City of Ghosts," Pirozzi discovered Cambodianrock. "I thought it could be such an amazing story," hesaid, adding that he hoped to use proceeds from the film to help supportCambodian artist associations. Meanwhile, Chhom Nimol, lead singer for Dengue Fever, saidshe was excited to see old songs resurrected. "I am so happy that it makes our Khmer people to knowclearly about Khmer rock-and-roll songs, and I am especially happy to make the worldrecognize the value of Khmer artists, resurrected by Dengue Fever," shesaid. "I am so thankful for the filmmaker who produced our band's documentary.I think it is so important for the world to learn about Khmer songs and theband." A long-term famous singer, Chhom Chhovin, a sister of ChhomNimol, called the film amazing, while Ieng Sithul, president of the KhmerArtist association, said he was proud of a band promoting old Khmer songs.