Two Girls Against the Rain

It's raining when the camera visits the humble dwelling of two Cambodian women who met in the 1970s while the Khmer Rouge was in power. They have been lovers ever since. Both in their late fifties, Soth Yun and Sem Eang tell their story without bitterness, but there is great pain beneath their words. Nobody wanted to believe that two women would be able to support themselves, and they have had to overcome the hostility of their families. Today they feed nephews, nieces and their grandchildren, while also taking care of a blind and physically handicapped sister. But they are still waiting for official recognition from the village authorities. The depth of history, sorrow and love captured unsentimentally in these 10 minutes is a valuable contribution to the gay emancipation debate in Cambodia. The film concludes with the observation that while King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia expressed support for same-sex marriage in 2004, no such law has yet been drafted.