Karmalink(HKAFF 2022)

Cambodia’s first-ever science fiction feature is an imaginative and surprising ride. Cambodia-based US writer-director Jake Wachtel’s inventive genre combination promises something for everyone, from its precocious child protagonists and Inception-like dream exploration technology, to its earnest look at Buddhist themes and intriguing glimpse of a near-future Phnom Penh. The story unfolds as a mystery pursued by children Srey Leak and Leng Heng, whose search for a supposed treasure leads them on a journey into karma, reincarnation and questions of spirituality and enlightenment. But above its lofty, metaphysical ideas and its layered look at Cambodian life, this is a grand and entertaining adventure with universal themes like friendship and community at heart.