“My Mother’s Tongue”/ “Coming Out of My Skin”
A Short Film Screening and Book Reading Exploring Cambodian & Queer Identity with Jean-Baptiste Phou
Friday, September 27, 2024 | 6 PM | FREE
Join us for a special screening and book reading of recent works by Jean-Baptiste Phou, a writer and multidisciplinary artist born in Paris to Chinese-Cambodian parents:
“My Mother’s Tongue”, is a short film that tells the story of a mother and son who don’t share a language, her being born in Cambodia and him in France. They have difficulties communicating until something unlocks when she suddenly falls very ill.
“Coming Out of My Skin”, is a compelling memoir of a gay Asian man living in a white world that deftly aspires for a reconciliation that can empower people of sexual and racial minorities to inhabit their bodies joyfully.
A discussion will follow the screening and reading facilitated by CERI board member, Mory Chhom.
This event is co-presented with the Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants (CERI).
Meet the Speakers
Photo by Annie Gozard
Jean-Baptiste Phou is a writer and multidisciplinary artist born in France to Chinese-Cambodian parents. As an actor, he has performed in plays, musicals, and films. He has also written, directed, and produced his own plays, including ‘Cambodia, Here I Am’ and ‘l’Anarchiste’, the latter adapted from Soth Polin’s novel. He is also the author of ‘Coming Out of My Skin’ (Seagull, 2023) and ‘80 mots du Cambodge’ (l’Asiathèque, 2024). In addition to theater and writing, he explores other mediums such as sound, image, and performance. His work tackles issues around identity, migration, and minority experiences.
Mory Chhom (she/her) is a 1.5-generation Cambodian American born in a refugee camp in Thailand and raised in Modesto, California. She has dedicated the last 20 years of her career to achieving health equity for refugees and immigrants. Currently, she is the Director of Population-Focused Prevention Early Intervention at RAMS.
