First They Killed My Father Page #4

---

14.

-KR soldiers do not have their arms across their back. They

have AK47 that they carry on the side or in front of them.

(See photos archives).

-most of the time, the KR cadres, the kamapibal, who manage

evacuation, have no arms. Or maybe just a handgun.

-along the road of evacuation, there are KR patrols

Loung watches as a woman breast feeds her baby wrapped to her

chest as she walks.

Loung sees a KR soldier. She quickly turns her face away and

walks to catch up with Pa.

Loung studies the face of the father then quickly turns her

face away and walks to catch up with Pa.

EXT. CHECKPOINT - DAY

By noontime they have reached the Khmer Rouge's military

check-point. The checkpoint consists of no more than a few

small makeshift tents with trucks parked beside them. There

are many soldiers at this base, and it is easy to recognize

them because they wear identical loose-fitting black pajama

pants and shirts. Even the female KR have very distinct hair

cuts. All carry identical guns slung across their backs. They

move quickly from place to place with fingers on the triggers

of their weapons, pacing back and forth in front of the

crowd, giving instructions into a bullhorn.

KAMAPIBAL:

You are not allowed to pass until

we have cleared you. Stand with

your family in a line.

The Commander continues.

KAMAPIBAL (CONT’D)

Anyone who has worked as a public

servant, official, police, or

military, step up to the right

table to register for work.

Loung glances at Pa then looks quickly away. She feels sick.

Pa gathers their family and stands them in a line with the

other peasant farmers.

PA:

(whispering)

Remember, we are workers. Give

these men whatever they want and

don’t argue.

15.

In front of them, the line splits in two as a large group of

ex-soldiers, government workers, and former politicians walk

over to the table to register for work. Loung’s heart pounds

quickly against her chest, but she says nothing and leans

against Pa's legs. He reaches down and puts his hand on top

of her head. It stays there as if protecting her from the sun

and the soldiers. After a few minutes, her head feels cooler

and her heartbeat slows. (Artists with long hair and possibly

a guitar are taken away )

A KR soldier opens a bag of another family discovering a

bundle of money.

KR CHECKPOINT SOLDIER

You do not need this. (Holding the

money) There are no longer any

rich, there are no longer any poor.

Let us all live in equality!

Ahead of them in the line, Khmer Rouge soldiers tells

something to the crowd, but Loung cannot understand all of

what they say.

KR CHECKPOINT SOLDIER (CONT’D)

When the Angkar questions you,

answer loyally.

Then one Khmer Rouge soldier roughly jerks a bag off of one

man's shoulder and dumps its contents on the ground. From

this pile, a Khmer Rouge soldier picks up an old Lon Nol army

uniform. The Khmer Rouge soldier sneers at the man and pushes

him to another Khmer Rouge soldier standing beside him. The

soldier then moves on to the next family. Eyes downcast,

shoulders slumped, arms hanging loosely on both sides of him,

the man with the Lon Nol uniform in his bag does not fight as

another Khmer Rouge soldier points and pushes him away with

the butt of his rifle.

Loung feels the heat of the sun move down her back. We notice

the shadows moving. Hours have gone by.

A Khmer Rouge soldier approaches them, Loung leans closer to

Pa and reaches up for his hand. Pa's hand is much too big for

hers, so She is only able to wrap her fingers around his

index finger.

KOM BAUL SOLDIER

What do you do?

PA:

I work as a packer in the shipping

port.

16.

KOM BAUL SOLDIER

(to Ma)

And you, what do you do?

Loung notices Ma’s eyes focus on the ground and she shifts,

Geak’s weight on her hips.

MA:

I sell old clothes in the market.

The soldier rummages through all their bags one by one.

He takes money and Kim’s comic books. (Discuss what else

would be taken)

He takes the red dresses Loung and Chou had packed.

Loung follows the dress with her eyes, focusing all her

energy on it, wanting desperately to rescue it.

Her first red dress, the one Ma made for her for the New

Year's celebration.

MEMORY-

INT. PHNOM PENH APARTMENT

Flashes of color - Loung remembers Ma taking her

measurements, holding the soft chiffon cloth against her

body, and asking her if she liked it. Ma smiles at Loung

pleased with how pretty the color looks on her. Loung sees

herself in the mirror.

MEMORY ENDS:

Then he bends down and lifts the lid of the rice pot next to

Pa's feet. Gripping Pa's finger even tighter, Loung’s heart

races as the soldier checks the pot. His face is close to

hers; she concentrates on her dirty toes. She dare not look

into his eyes.

She peaks. She looks right at him.

KOM BAUL SOLDIER

All right, you are cleared. You may

go.

PA:

(meekly)

Thank you comrade.

The soldier is already looking past Pa and merely waves his

hand for them to hurry on.

17.

EXT. ROAD - DAY

Passing the checkpoint safely, they walk on. A few miles down

the road the sound of gunshots ring out in the distance

behind Loung. She watches as a flock of black birds explode

into the sky.

EXT. ROAD - LATE DAY

Later - As she walks, Loung watches as the sun goes to sleep

behind the mountains and the world becomes a place of shadows

and shapes once again. Sees a body in the field. He wears a

uniform like Pa’s.

EXT. ROADSIDE - DUSK (ADJUST DEPENDING LOTUS FLOWERS)

In the mass of people, Pa finds them a spot of unoccupied

grass near the side of the road.

Loung and Chou walk around and find a pond full of lotus

flowers. Kim finds a small area full of fish. The children,

as children do, explore the area.

Later - Ma puts Geak down next to Loung and tells her to keep

an eye on her. Sitting next to her, Loung is struck by how

Geak looks. Breathing quietly, she fights to keep her eyelids

open, but in the end she loses and falls to sleep. Loung puts

her arm around her sister in a protective way. She lies down

on a small bundle of clothes. Quickly, Loung also falls

asleep.

LOUNG DREAMS:

EXT. STREET

In her dream, fireworks crackle and boom noisily, she

rejoices in the New Year celebration. Everything is red.

Chinese firecrackers explode. Smoke rises. Confetti paper

falls onto Loung’s face as she runs through the bits of paper

and white smoke.

LOUNG’S DREAM ENDS

EXT. ROADSIDE - MORNING

Fireworks from the dream turn into gunshots in the distance.

Loung wakes up the next morning to the voices of her brothers

and father whispering to each other about what went on in the

night. She can’t hear but they look concerned.

18.

Keav takes her hand, grabs her things and leads her on.

EXT. ROAD - MORNING

Loung’s POV - Pa carrying Geak and reassuring Kim.

People see along the road the scars of war.

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes