Prey Lang is the largest primary lowland dry evergreen forest remaining in both Cambodia and Indochinese Peninsula and it’s in jeopardy.
With an estimated 700,000 people relying on the forest for survival, logging and mining interests have the potential to destroy this critical, fragile and ancient forest habitat.
Healthy wildlife populations including endangered species such as elephants, gaur, banteng, tiger and Asiatic black bears are all at risk as well as the indigenous Kuy communities who protect and rely on the forest for their daily needs.
This short is a taster of the full version slated for release later in the year.
About the film makers:
Jocelyn Pederick – Video Producer
For the past three years Jocelyn has been working in Cambodia, primarily in Ratanakiri to establish the first indigenous community media project in Cambodia, Forest Mountain Voices. Her role as both Technical Advisor and Trainer broadly encompassed all training of the ten young indigenous staff, technically advising the organization, and building a community advisory board consisting of 30 indigenous representatives from seven provinces. More recently Jocelyn has been employed as Film Advocacy trainer for the Health Unlimited’s IP RIGHTS project in Ratanakiri training to produce films which advocate for improved health services for indigenous people in the North East of Cambodia.
Prior to working in Cambodia Jocelyn’s experience included both public and private TV production. As the Director of Schools TV, a broadcast station specifically for Victorian school children, Jocelyn was responsible for all programming and production ranging from programs dealing with mental health, to live sports broadcasting. Before that, a producer working with one of Australia’s 3 commercial broadcasters, Channel 10, her duties included directing new broadcasts, production of commercials and public information announcements, and social awareness documentaries.
Ben Pederick – Video Director
Ben has been working as an independent filmmaker for over a decade, making films about workers rights and cultural identity, while also developing his skills as a cameraman through a long engagement with surf culture and skateboarding. With an educational background which includes a thesis written in Bahasa Indonesia on the environmental tourism development of the Karimujawa Archipelago, Indonesia, produced while studying at Universitas Diponegoro, Ben has a broad understanding of the development world which informs his work as a filmmaker in Cambodia.
Prior to coming to Cambodia Ben worked as an producer of educational programming for secondary and tertiary students, producing many videos dealing with complex issues in a succinct and credible format. Since relocating to Cambodia in 2006, Ben has been contracted for a diverse range of NGOs to produce project based films. His clients to date include World Vision, Welt Hunger Hilfe, the ILO TICW and Save the Children Australia.
