Cambodia shares a unique relationship with western films and stars. The first foreign film to be shot in the Angkor Wat vicinity was 1965’s Lord Jim, starring Peter O’Toole. The movie was the second adaptation of the 1900 novel of the same name and this version went on to receive two BAFTA nominations, for best British art direction and best British cinematography. For obvious reasons, foreign films have not entered the market until the reopening of the country.

The most recognizable film to be attached to the country before its opening to the international world in the early 21^st century was the Killing Fields, made in 1984. Not only did the film win many awards, it was also notable for having a Cambodian actor (Haing S. Ngor) in the movie. Both he and the character he was portraying (Dith Pran) survived the Cambodian Genocide. Haing S. Ngor is also famous for having won the Best Supporting Actor award even though he is not a professional actor. The film was shot in Thailand.

After the opening of the country, more and more foreign films started to come in. And why not? Imagine having the background of Angkor decorating the set. And that’s exactly what happened with the film Tomb Raider. The country had such a big impact on star Angelina Jolie that she ended up living there for a while and even adopted a Cambodian boy, whom she named Maddox. Will Cambodia inspire you as much as it did her? Let’s see.

Another prominent Hollywood film shot in Cambodia is the 2002 drama City of Ghosts starring Matt Dillon and James Caan. The country plays an important role in the film as the movie is about a con artist who must travel to Cambodia to collect his share in money collected from an insurance scam. Some of the locations shot included the capital Phnom Penh and Bokor Hill Station.

Perhaps no movie has garnered high expectations (for robot loving children and adults who grew up with the cartoons) in 2011 than Transformers 3. And guess what? There’s a connection between the movie and Cambodia. Even though it is brief, there is a shot of Angkor in the film.

It is now time to be your own movie star and actually live Cambodia like an adventurer. Whether you yearn to be an Indiana Jones, a Lara Croft or maybe just yourself, you’ll agree that the temples of Angkor look even better in person. And there’s more to Cambodia than just temples. See what else the country has in store for you, such as beaches, rural towns, cultures, indigenous peoples and food via our Cambodia tours.

www.exotravel.com/