Rice Field of Dreams Documentary Film
75 min | Cambodia, USA | 2010 Director: Daron Ker Language: Khmer, English with English subtitles Special Screening
Joe Cook is a complicated fellow. Born Joeurt Puk in Cambodia, he and his family fled the murderous Khmer Rouge regime to the United States in 1975. They were among the lucky ones: between 1975 and 1979 the Khmer Rouge exterminated two million Cambodian citizens. Among the dead were Joe’s father and two younger sisters. Joe was 12 years old.Joe ultimately became a respected chef for the Mikata Japanese Steakhouse in Dothan, Alabama (hence his customer-bestowed name: Joe Cook). He married and had two children. He was American and he was happy. Still, something in his life was missing - something to do with his stolen Cambodian heritage.In May 2002 Joe learned that his sister – long thought a victim of the Khmer Rouge – was alive. He immediately traveled to the village of Baribo, 68 miles west of Phnom Penh, to reunite with her. It was during this reunion that Joe conceived the project that has preoccupied him to this day: he decided that Cambodia – this country bombed by the United States during the Vietnam War and ravaged by the Khmer Rouge– needed an addition to its cultural options. Cambodia needed that most American of institutions: baseball.
Rice Field of Dreams follows the journey of Cambodia’s First National Baseball Team as they prepare for and participate in the 24th “Sea Games” – an Olympics-like sports competition between South East Asian nations to be held in Bangkok. For the 22 young players Joe assembled and trained over the previous five years it is their first venture outside of their farming villages.Along the way we experience the texture of daily life in these villages; meet the American coaches who have donated their time; and travel with the team to the culture shock inducing city of Bangkok for the competition.We hear the player’s stories; watch their preparation for the Games; and learn about America’s interest in Cambodian baseball when Jim Small, Vice President of Major League Baseball, visits. But most of all, we experience the drama of the team’s five games. No one expects these rookies to best the competition their first time out, but nonetheless emotions run high. How well will they do? Will they even get a hit? How many hits? How many runs?They are representing their country and they want to succeed. The film crew fully expected that they would be filming a strictly feel-good story: Cambodian refugee escapes the Khmer Rouge; comes to America; then brings hope and baseball back to his homeland. But what they discover is that life -- and Joe Cook -- have a way of complicating strictly feel-good stories. This film has it all: drama, humor, an exotic location and an athletic competition. A “West meets East” dynamic and an engaging cast of characters.
But most of all Rice Field of Dreams has heart. As the final shots of the film assert, baseball is a gift to upcoming Cambodian generations and Joe Cook, complicated as he is, should be commended for offering such a gift.
Director Daron Ker was first introduced to motion pictures projected onto a simple white sheet by aid workers. There he watched Kung Fu films as well as one important film, Spartacus by Stanley Kubrick.” This film captivated and inspired Ker. Daron told himself that if he got out of the refugee camp alive, making movies is what he wanted to do. In 1981, Ker was fortunate enough to migrate to the U.S., and moved to Southern California. Daron never forget these indelible images and has since devoted himself to the pursuit of working in this “magic” medium. In 2002, Ker received his BFA degree in Motion Picture and Television from the Academy of Art College (Academy of Art University). From then on, he went to carve out a name for himself in the Bay Area’s independent scene as both a director and cinematographer. Daron recently finished a film that's very close to his heart entitled Rice Field of Dreams. In 2007, Daron returned to Cambodia for the first time since fleeing the Khmer Rouge. Ker hope to premiere Rice Field of Dreams in Angkor Wat to pay respect and honor the two million innocent Cambodian’s who’s lives ended during the Khmer Rouge era. In early 2011, Daron completed producing and directing I Ride , a film about The Fryed Brothers Band and the underground Biker Culture.
His next two feature documentary film subjects include a legendary rock band The Doobie Brothers and a Latin music movement entitled Revolucion para La Paz / Revolution for Peace. In 2011, Daron plans on directing his first narrative feature entitled Holiday in Cambodia. Legendary cinematographer Hiro Narita (Never Cry Wolf, The Rocketeer, Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country, Honey I Shrunk the Kids), Rice Field of Dreams and I Ride editor Robin Lee and Skywalker Ranch supervising sound editor Teresa Eckton (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Dune, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Jurassic Park, Toy Stories, Finding Nemo, Ratatouille, Up) are all enthusiastic members of the Holiday in Cambodia team.
Daron's ultimate goal is to share his beautiful Cambodian culture with the rest of the world through the magic of film.
Director: Daron Ker Writer: Daron Ker Producer: Daron Ker Cinematographer: Cliff Traiman Editor: Robin Lee Subjects: Joe Cook, Cory Beaudoin, Joe Truesdale, Phil Beaudoin, Mike Griffin
