00:09Hi everyone, here's another literary figure from the 1930s.
00:15Thus, Rimkin's 1938 novel Sofat or Soufat occupies a foundational place in history
00:23Cambodian literature.
00:25It emerged in a context of profound social transformations in the 1930s
00:31and cultural.
00:32Cambodia then experienced tensions between traditional heritage and aspirations for the
00:39modernity, while the French presence strongly influenced artistic forms
00:44and literary.
00:46In this context, Rimkin stands out as a major figure in the emergence of the modern novel
00:52in prose, considered the first modern Cambodian prose novel, Sofat, Soufat,
00:59marks a decisive break with older literary forms.
01:04The work introduces a more realistic, fluid, and introspective narrative, centered
01:10on individuals, their inner conflicts and their place in a changing society.
01:15Through its themes of identity, personal emancipation, and the opposition between traditional values
01:22and desires for change, the novel reflects the upheavals of rural and urban Cambodia.
01:29The work's appeal also lies in its style.
01:32Prose becomes a modern tool for psychological analysis and social description.
01:38This evolution gives the text both a literary and historical dimension, because it
01:44accompanies the affirmation of a contemporary national path.
01:48In this sense, Sofat, Soufat is not limited to a formal innovation.
01:54He is contributing to the development of a modern Cambodian literature.
01:59Finally, the reception of the work testifies to its importance.
02:03She aroused critical interest for the originality of her writing and was part of a movement
02:10broader development of Southeast Asian literatures in local languages, in dialogue with
02:16colonial models.
02:18Thus, Sofat, Soufat can be read as a pioneering text at the crossroads of history
02:25cultural, linguistic evolution and the birth of the modern novel in Cambodia.
02:31Let me give you a clear explanation of what "prose" means.
02:36What is prose?
02:38So, prose is the form of writing that follows the natural rhythm of spoken language,
02:44without a regular structure of verses or stanzas.
02:47This is the most common writing style for novels, essays, and stories.
02:531. Typical characteristics: organized paragraphs, sentences following one another, everyday vocabulary
03:00and narration, continuous, no obligatory rhymes or master.
03:052. In contrast to other forms, poetry privileges rhythm, rhyme, and condensed imagery.
03:13verses, theatre, written to be performed on stage with dialogue and stage directions.
03:184. Advantages for the modern novel: greater flexibility in describing intimate thoughts
03:25and realistic situations.
03:27Opportunity for lengthy storytelling and detailed social observation.
03:31Adaptable to vernacular approaches and rich sociocultural descriptions.
03:37In summary, Sofat, the 1938 film, explores the tensions between tradition and modernity.
03:45through characters undergoing social and personal transformation.
03:50The novel is a striking example of modern Cambodian prose.
03:54The author uses contemporary prose writing rather than more archaic or lyrical forms.
04:01Prose, in its broadest sense, is non-verse writing that narrates in a fluid and continuous manner.
04:08suitable for psychological and social exploration.
04:12Right away, Sofat, Sufat.
04:30In the streets that bear the weight of dreams,
04:36The wind carries the names of the ancients and the newborns.
04:42The walls breathe promises that we see
04:49And not looking for a path between ideas
04:56And tomorrow, Sofat, Sufat, souls on the same path
05:03Talk about tomorrow, choices, and whys
05:10Between tradition and the desire for freedom
05:17We advance in a cross pattern.
05:19We leave the past behind
05:39Markets tell stories on paper
05:45Dreams that make the wheels of the economy turn
05:52Their glances meet and then reveal themselves.
05:59When love slips between the threads of fleeting time
06:07If memory were a fragile thought that appears on the pages of an endless book
06:14We stand tall, we hope, we dodge change
06:20Sofat, Sufat, two souls on the same path
06:37Talk about tomorrow, choices, and whys
06:44Between tradition and the desire for freedom
07:18We advance in a cross pattern.
07:19Who speaks a song that reinvents itself at every step?
07:29Oh
07:30Oh
07:33Oh
07:35Oh
07:39Subtitling by Radio-Canada
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