Bird of Paradise (1962)

A young monk named Sok trades the Buddhist monkhood for a life of adventure, setting off on a journey that leads him - via a bird of paradise gifted by a fortune-teller named Tith - to Phnom Penh's Royal Palace. That's the premise of Marcel Camus' Bird of Paradise (1962, 95 min), the first European feature film ever shot in Cambodia, a spiritual exploration of culture, myth, Buddhism, death and reincarnation. Along the way, the film captures moments of striking beauty: dragon boat races, chanting monks, festivals, children at play, a kickboxing match, rickshaws winding through quiet streets, a theatrical retelling of the Rama and Sita legend, and a final journey to the grandeur of Angkor Wat. English subs. Free entrance.