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'First They Killed My Father': Angelina Jolie Talks About Heart Of Story; Previews Passion Project

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Angelina Jolie recently gave her fans a glimpse of "First They Killed My Father". The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Goodwill Ambassador said that the project tells the story of a war through the eyes of a child, although it is the story of a country as well. Here's more details about Netflix and Jolie's "First They Killed My Father".

"First They Killed My Father": the movie's heart is Loung Ung's memoir 

According to Us Weekly, Jolie shared that the movie is based on Cambodian human rights activist Loung Ung's 2000 memoir. It tells the story of the destruction wreaked on Cambodia in the 70s after the Khmer Rouge communist party massacred more than two million people, which included Ung's parents and two sisters.

"First They Killed My Father": portraying genocide and war

To create a precise picture of the genocide and war, Jolie used Cambodian actors who speak their native language, Khmer. She was able to gather hundreds of survivors and their children to re-create their stories. Jolie said that for "First They Killed My Father", they were able to find people who had either suffered personally or experienced new suffering, which made them express thier own feelings and desires and although guided by production, the indivifuals were allowed to do it their way.

"First They Killed My Father": Angelina Jolie and Cambodia

Jolie is no stranger to Cambodia, as she has filmed there in 2001 for "Tomb Raider". Consequently, she came back as a volunteer for the UNHCR  and is now a special envoy for the program. In 2002, she adopted her first child, Maddox (now 15) from Battambang. Speaking of Maddox, he is involved in "First They Killed My Father". According to Jolie, Maddox went through the script and assisted with notes. He was also present in the production meetings (via Hello! Magazine). 

"First They Killed My Father" will premiere in Siem Reap, Cambodia on February 18 and will be released internationally on Netflix later this year. 

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