• logo linkedin
  • logo email
AFD and the Cambodian Film Commission, Cambodian cinéma
American film shoot with Cambodian Film Commission (CFC) © CFC
Created in 2009 and financed by Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the Cambodia Film Commission (CFC) is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. We are turning the spotlight onto a cultural institution that develops and promotes the audiovisual industry in Cambodia and abroad.

Entertainment...and Employment

In 2017, 14 million jobs were directly related to the cultural and creative industries (CCI) sector in the Asia-Pacific region, generating the equivalent of 3% of GDP there. In Cambodia, this potential can be seen with the growing demand for film and audiovisual production, whose economic benefits are estimated at several million dollars.

There is therefore a real development opportunity, both in terms of job creation and tourism, as the international outreach of film production enhances the country’s visibility and popularity and boosts tourism.


CFC: Developing the cinema sector in Cambodia

This was the rationale behind the creation of the Cambodia Film Commission (CFC) between 2009 and 2014, financed by AFD. Since then, CFC has become a key player in the production of foreign films in Cambodia.

Three key figures:
•    800 shooting projects supported by CFC
•    4,476 local technicians trained (sound engineers, make-up artists…)
•    Economic benefits estimated at several million dollars

This new commission has a number of missions. First, CFC promotes Cambodia as a top spot for filming, not least by participating in international film festivals and engaging with other actors in the sector. It also facilitates film production in the country, with large-scale international productions, by providing logistical and administrative support to foreign film crews.

In 2014, the commission supported the production of the Oscar award-nominated The Missing Picture, directed by Rithy Panh and in 2016, the film First They Killed My Father, directed by Angelina Jolie.

CFC supports the development of the film sector in Cambodia by organizing festivals, lending equipment and training local film crews.


From private to public

To support its growth, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has created an entity that brings together all the arts and live entertainment, including cinema.

With the transition under way, Ophélie Bourhis, Director of AFD’s agency in Cambodia, said: “We are convinced that this project will continue to develop, thanks to reaffirmed national efforts for the creation of a technical, legal and financial environment conducive to the audiovisual industry as a whole.”