Paper Cannot Wrap Ember

Paper Cannot Wrap Ember gives voice to the exploited underclass hidden in brothels across Cambodia. Focusing on the daily lives of seven young women living in Phnom Penh, Rithy Panh interweaves evidence of human dignity, compassion and collective memory, utilising the camera to both record and actively listen to the unfolding stories. Disinterested in the sensational and sleazy world of the bars and pick up joints where the women work, Panh instead confines his film within the walls of their crumbling apartment building. Forced into prostitution for a variety of reasons often to financially support their families they are condemned to socially, emotionally and physically bleak futures. In this powerful and personal documentary, Panh allows the women to speak for themselves and to share their stories without judgement.