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Ur Co-Founder & CEO Antony Hamon Ur Editor In Chief Pierre Rabotin Ur Art Director Emmanuelle Rouvrais Ur Co-Editor In Chief Eve Watling Ur Sales Manager Sarah Belli Ur Photographer Jeremie Montessuis Ur Journalists Tom Stall Romi Grossberg Anna Mischke Ur Project Manager Jéremie Courtot Lorenz Gaimard Clémence Trémol Special Thanks to John Weeks Patrick Samnang Mey Todd Brown
Cover drawn by : Patrick Samnang Mey
Dear readers What an exciting issue we prepared for you! This month, we decided to focus on the comic books scene in Cambodia. Although it’s still shaky, there’s something going on for sure. Initiatives, exhibitions, new authors, projects: Cambodia is bubbling with ideas. The artists now need to meet their market to get the fire going like it used to in the 60s and early 70s. To celebrate this, we gave the keys to French-Cambodian artist Patrick Samnang Mey to draw the cover and we couldn’t be happier with what he did for our WUPP Mag cover exclusive. We put a lot in this feature and we really hope you will enjoy discovering a bit more about one of the artistic fields that Cambodian artists are trying to develop. And a big shout out to the cute cosplay fans we met at the convention – thanks for sharing your manga love with us! As usual, you will find a whole new batch of discounts to protect the integrity of your wallet. Don’t forget to use them ! Thanks for following us more and more every day, you rock. Visit wuppmag.com as well, you’ll find a lot of exclusive content to live the urban experience at its fullest. The WUPP team
“Eugenie” watercolour for WUPP Mag only
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06. UR picture of the month 10. UR street style 12. UR culture: art surgery 14. UR wine: pairing of the month 16. UR hotel: sala lodges 18. UR shop: 10K skate shop 23. UR coupons 36. UR wupp model: liz hing 38. UR COVER: comic books in cambodia 44. UR health: dr mori dental clinic 46. UR cinema: 5 reasons to watch 48. UR band: jazhad
50. UR playlist: simon c vent 52. UR sport: cambodia the golf spot 56. UR agenda 58. UR foodie trip: Kep
PICTURE OF THE MONTH
WHAT ?
This is an old building in Phnom Penh. It used to be a hotel, but now is a run down apartment building.
where ?
It stands on the corner of street 130 and 15 in the riverside section of Phnom Penh.
why ?
This area gets very flooded during heavy rains. Prior to this shot it was raining hard for 2 hours and the streets were already up to people’s knees in some parts. > Want to be the next Picture of the Month ? Send your best shot to : contact@wuppmag.com ©Todd Brown owner of Asia Media Lab
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PANAM
PAN’AM restaurant • No. 196, St. 19 • 010 733 210 or 023 212 170 Closed on Mondays
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TREET
Style
Leta
is a 22 year old student from Phnom Penh ma joring in Hospitality and Tourism management at Raffles International College. She currently live in Siem Reap where she’s doing an internship at Borei Angkor Resort and Spa.
Where are you shopping ?
I’m usually shopping abroad. On such shopping sprees I hunt for brands like Mango, Forever21, Gap, Uniqlo, Charles & Keith, G2000…
What’s your style ?
My style is trendy-casual. I keep it simple when it comes to colors and accessories but I don’t stick to one style. I play around with clothes depending on my mood, occasion and place, trying to keep it trendy yet comfortable.
What’s your current obsession ?
Jeans : Gap or Uniqlo. I also believe accessories play very important role in fashion and are a must. They make even simplest and most casual styles look exactly as if they come straight from the runway !
BACK
STAGE
COCKTAIL BAR
#377, Sisowath Quay (near FCC) | Phnom Penh | +855 (0) 83 79 39 47 facebook.com/backstagephnompenh
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UR culture
ART SURGERY “Saving the paintings of the Cambodian National Museum” By Romi Grossberg
The Cambodian National Museum has only six of its twenty-one paintings on display. The rest, from the 19th and 20th century, are hidden in the storage room : some stained, torn, and warped by humidity; others burnt, with damaged borders and missing pigments.
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Last year, French-Cambodian Borany visited Cambodia and after falling in love with the culture decided to stay. Skilled in the restoration and preservation of traditional works of art, she has offered her services to the museum. With passion and precision, she has designed a detailed analysis of each painting and its individual needs to be restored back to its former glory. Her aim is to “make minimalist intervention in order to preserve the original spirit of the paintings”, but has estimated that her project ‘Saving Paintings of the Cambodian National Museum’ will take two and a half years. “I will need a lot of patience,” she says, “I must be a perfectionist, as it is a long process”.
Whilst Cambodians are skilled at restoring ceramics and sculpture, no one in the country has the skill to restore paintings.
Whilst Cambodians are skilled at restoring ceramics and sculpture, no one in the country has the skill to restore paintings and for Borany, this is a dream come true. She sees these paintings as “a testimony of artistic Khmer history”. The techniques needed to restore each painting vary depending on the damage - each requiring precise technical ability. She recently presented her
project to students at the Phnom Penh University of Fine Arts where she offered internships to work alongside her. “It is important for me to transfer my knowledge because it is their history, and then they can continue to restore paintings themselves”. The National Museum are thrilled at the prospect of their paintings being hung back on the walls, and Borany is clearly passionate about the preservation of Cambodian art history. She comes from the belief that “before restoring, you must understand the painting and the story of the painting, so you must study the Khmer history of the 19th and 20th century”. Until now, Borany has been self-funded. With the project designed and approved, she is now on phase two - fundraising through donations, partnerships and sponsorship to see her project through to fruition. She hopes people recognise the significance of this project, and dreams of a celebratory public exhibition upon completion, with all twenty-one paintings restored.
INFO For further information or to support the project ‘Saving Paintings of the Cambodian National Museum’, contact Borany: borany.mam@gmail.com Photos : Borany Mam
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UR WINE
Red Tuna tartare with mint and avocado
WINE & FOOD
MATCH OF THE MONTH BY WUPP
Welcome to the first episode of our monthly feature on how to pair wine and food. Two wines and two recipes by one chef from an exciting restaurant to make sure you become the best host in the city.
Take 120g of the best quality Maguro tuna. Chop the tuna finely and place it into a marinade of Extra Virgin olive oil that has been sprinkled with ten leaves of sliced fresh mint. Chop 100g of avocado and 10g of onion, mix them, then add a few drops of Tabasco and the juice of one lime. Using a circular mold, fold in two layers of the avocado mixture and then top it with one layer of the Maguro tuna, dabbing the top layer of the tuna with beetroot oil.
>The WINE Marqués De Riscal Sauvignon Blanc Rueda, Spain A lovely pale yellow colour with greenish glints, this wine has a complex nose with hints of fresh grass over a mineral base. The abundant fresh fruit notes of citrus, pineapple and melon leave a fresh, aromatic taste in the mouth for a clean, long finish. Why they mix perfectly : Excellent balance, as the wine’s richness goes well with the avocado but the acidity cuts through the fatty qualities of the tuna.
Find these wines at Red Apron wine Boutique & restaurant No. 15-17Eo, St. 240, Phnom Penh 023 990 951 / 017 588 191 facebook.com/RedApronSt240 INFO
Quitapenas No. 14B, St. 264 - 088 822 2880 quitapenas-restaurant.com
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Shiitake mushrooms with mussels in saffron cream
THE SOUTH AMERICAN ICON WINE
Begin with fresh Shiitake mushrooms, slicing them and dropping them into a pan of 1 glass of boiling Mineral Water. When the Shiitake mushrooms have softened, add the Extra Virgin olive oil and sauté the mushrooms with chopped garlic and four shelled mussels. Finally, add a small glass of cream and a few threads of saffron, slowly cooking everything until the cream becomes yellow and thick.
>The WINE Petit Clos Pinot Noir, by Clos Henri You’ll love the chocolaty nose, the deep black fruit and subtle smoky aromas. The mouth follows with luscious fruit with freshness and lithe tannins. A wine made to enjoy ! Why they mix perfectly : This pairing combines Pinot’s affinity for both the texture of mussels and the earth-bound flavours of mushrooms.
>The place
Quitapenas, literally Sorrows Remover, is a new Spanish Restaurant & Lounge offering highest quality Tapas and Wines. A place where you can also enjoy the best selection of single malts, gins and other liquors while listening to their growing collection of vinyl records.
Available everywhere in Cambodia and at Red Apron, UR Wine Boutique.
>The chef
Joaquin was born in the right place to dedicate his life to food and wine. His curiosity brought him to some of the best restaurants in Madrid, Barcelona and the Spanish Coast. Later he worked all around the world, before settling in China for 5 years working at Top 5 stars international hotels like Ritz Carlton, Intercontinental and Marriott until he moved to Cambodia to open Quitapenas.
No. 15-17, Street 240, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia Tel : 023 990 951 / 023 990 952 HP : 017 588 191
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UR hotel
Sala Lodges
Past times paradise
Nestled away just outside the grounds of Ankor Wat, it’s hard to imagine that Sala Lodges is in the same universe as the touristy bustle of Siem Reap, let alone in the same city. Among the leafy garden, traditional wooden stilt houses rise out of the ground, each taken from the Cambodian countryside and transported to the lodge to provide a unique stay for its guests, who can unwind in the beautiful and airy houses. Combining an authentic Cambodian experience into a luxury hotel setting was always the most important aim for the team at Sala Lodges. “Building new wooden houses would never have given such character to the project” says architect Claire Campens, “and as each wooden house is different there is an interesting dialogue between old and new.” Almost all the houses were totally abandoned when they were found, meaning that there was a long restoration process to get them up to luxury quality. “Most of the time we had to replace some parts of the house, although the main structure was often in good condition and was just re-assembled
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by Eve Watling
“Building new wooden houses would never have given such character to the project” by skilled Cambodian carpenters”, Claire tells us. “The outside of the buildings was generally kept the same but the interiors were re-modeled with simple volumes and modern elements.” This combination of the modern and traditional is the key ingredient that makes Sala Lodges so inviting : fresh prints and a few well placed antiques mirror the light spaciousness of the architecture. It took two years to design and construct Sala Lodges, but the labour of love was well worth it. For them, Cambodian architecture doesn’t end at Angkor Wat, but is a livable and interactive part of the holiday experience.
Sala Lodges - no 498, Salakomroeuk, Siem Reap, Cambodia | 063 766 699 | SalaLodges.com
UR SHOP
10K
Kickflipping into New Territory BY ANNA MISCHKE
.... As I entered the white-washed shop with exposed brick and racks of decks, it was immediately clear it catered to a skate audience. While there were definite girly touches - a tray of spiked jewelry, cheeky tees, studded denim shorts, and candy colored baseball caps - 10K focuses on men’s fashion and the sport of skate, with brands like Obey, Cheap Monday, MOB Grip, HUF, Vans, Volcom, DC, and Lakai peppering the space. 10K, a name fused together from the owner’s given name “Dysamil”, roughly translating to ten thousand in French, and ‘K’ , which stands for both Khmer and a thousand in English.
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As one of the first skateboard shops in Phnom Penh, I was especially curious to see what prompted Steve to open 10K in a market just beginning to burgeon. He began skating in New Zealand around the age of ten, and since he didn’t speak English, he knew it would be difficult to make friends and find his place. Skateboarding served as an opportunity for him to enter into friendships with the people around him and helped bring him into their community while teaching him the sport. Although he was in the midst of learning English, he said it wasn’t entirely necessary and that skating “is like music, you don’t need to speak the language - you just feel it”. When he returned to Cambodia, he missed skating and thought “why can’t my country have the same sport ?”
He began 10K in hopes of sharing his abilities, resources, and the art of skating to his peers in Cambodia. Within 10K, he not only provides the goods it takes to learn to skate, but is willing to step out anytime (his wife watches over the shop along with him) and show someone a few tricks or how to get started. When buying a skateboard fully kitted (deck, wheels, bearings, trucks, etc) at 10K, he’s happy to build and assemble the board for his customers. When asked about opening more locations, he answered “I really want to be close with my customers. And expanding ? Let’s see about that.” He admits it can be difficult to get quality, authentic skate goods in Cambodia (including his favourite brand GIRL), mainly because of shipping costs. He’s able to work with skate shops in neighbouring countries to try and get the best for his customers at the lowest price. However his number one piece of advice for new skaters is “don’t
only focus on the brand”, as a lot of newcomers to the skate world think that having the best brand of board and highest quality trucks will make them better. Steve advises that they stick with cheaper options as they begin so that when their first board smashes, as it surely will, they can continue on learning without completely emptying their pockets. After all, it’s about the sport - not the brand. “It all starts with a base model and the brand sticker comes later; focus on what you like, learn from it, don’t try and jump all the way to the top”, he advises. While there are many aspects of the business that Steve is proud of and enjoys, his favourite is “seeing the customers I’ve never seen before”. Do him, and yourself, a favour and roll on over to 10K. INFO : Behind Australian Embassy and in front of Ministry of Foreign Affair. The shop is connected with CoolCup Taiwanese Drink and Dessert, Phnom Penh • 088 623 7777 Facebook.com/10kSkateShop
PHOTOS : MONA SIMON
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La Croisette italian & international cuiSine Since 1997 on the riverSide, Phnom Penh
Great cocktails & wines ItalIan and InternatIonal cuIsIne
Large outdoor terrace
we make our own bread & pasta for you 241 Sisowath Quay Phnom Penh +855 (0) 23 220 554 info@lacroisette.asia
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Dear ladies, this page is here to remind you that health comes first !
• General gynecologic care > Regular exams, STD checks > Colposcopy, pap smear test > Menstrual problems, menopause > HPV vaccination • Pregnancy examination and counseling • Childbirth classes
When was the last time you visited your gynecologist, even for a regular check-up ?
Grab that coupoN and pay a visit to Dr. Anna Roslyakova, certified doctorgynecologist with more than 13 years of experience in biggest hospitals in Middle and SouthEast Asia.
Her passion for women’s health led her to open her own clinic in Phnom Penh, Women-Baby’s Center Anna, a little oasis filled with warmth, where you will be treated with care and professionalism. > The clinic assists women all way through their pregnancy by providing hi-end gynecological care and childbirth classes. Women-Baby’s Center is connected with hospitals and clinics in Cambodia and Thailand to make sure babies are born healthy and safe. > Dr. Anna provides a full range of gynecological services from regular check-ups to treatments, vaccinations and tests - you can expect the same quality of treatment as at your favorite place back home. Don’t wait until the next time you visit your home country !
CONTACT: Business Center KT Tower #23, St 112, 4th floor, Room 403 Khan Tuol Kok, Phnom Penh, Cambodia +855 (0)98 800 921 / 088 866 90 93 wbc@wbcanna.com • www.wbcanna.com
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Terms: - 1 coupon can be used for 1 subscription(Digi Home/Digi Mobi) - Coupon can be used for the new subscription only - Digi reserves the right to change or terminate the coupon program without prior notice More information: Call: 077/023 22 77 66 | SMS: 093 22 77 66 Email: care@digi.com.kh | www.digi.com.kh Address: #368, St. 163, SK Olympic, Khan Chamkarmorn, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
your wupp models: Liz Hing
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Photos Jeremie Montessuis/ Film Noir Studio Model : Liz Hing Clothing : Mitsou Makeup : Nakeo Ampha Location : Royal Palace & Royal School of Fine Arts
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INTRODUCTION > Intrigued by the comic themed events that kept popping up, WUPP Mag had to devote this issue to nosing around Cambodia’s world of comics. We gazed at the lovely retro Golden Age comic covers, chatting to excited teenagers in blue wigs and being sucked into the surreal world of Nicolas C. Grey’s drawings. It was great to learn how the Cambodian comic scene stands in terms of production, and finding out the inspirations and limitations of artists working today. We’ve loved our time in the small comic world, and we hope it continues to flourish.
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By Eve Watling & Pierre Rabotin Like the rest of the art scene, Cambodian comic culture is rough around the edges. Funding, educational structures and the economic market are as yet too lackluster to foster a fully blown scene, but movements are being made towards a creative future for Cambodian comics. Exhibitions, workshops, and comic book stores, along with new artists and organisations that help and promote them are popping up with increasing rapidity. Despite the vaccuum of infrastructure that still prevents the artists and the consumers of comics connecting, there is still a strong interest emerging. While Bangkok and Kuala Lumpa bookshops hold a wide selection of local talent, Cambodia has the motivation to catch up, but seems puzzled about where to begin. Phnom Penh now hosts a new Manga café to cater to this interest, but owner Kenji Hozawa has found the demand for the newest books difficult to meet. ‘Cambodians know a lot about Manga already, as they read it online” he says, “but the newest books have to be imported and are often too expensive for most Cambodians”. Also supporting the scene is the NGO Our Books, who publishes, archives, exhibits comic artists, and runs workshops and events, including a 24 hour comic drawing marathon. Yet founder John Weeks also tells us that financial con-
straints are a huge block to momentum and spontaneity. “Many artists don’t participate in events such as the marathon when they don’t get paid. They don’t see the long-term benefits of exposure”. Consequently, most artists from the comic boom in the 1980’s no longer draw, and instead work jobs that guarantee a more secure income (Sin Yang Pirom, the creator of many exquisite Golden Age comics, now works as a rice seller). This lack of confidence in the industry means that production of new comics is inconsistent. “We try our hardest to encourage artists, but you can’t force a scene to develop if it’s not ready”, says Weeks. French-Cambodian artist Patrick Samnang Mey agrees : “the scene hasn’t found its identity yet”. The style and content of modern Khmer comics vary hugely, with many Cambodian artists who moved away during the Khmer Rouge keen to address the country’s difficult past, while young Khmer artists who were born in Cambodia draw on modern life, such as the obsession of young Khmer women with K-pop culture. Although they stand on economically and artistically shaky ground, if they can take this forward thinking attitude to the industry and production of comics, the rising demand for comics could take Cambodian artists to exciting new places indeed.
Photos : Our Books
Digital novels: the solution? Patrick Samnang Mey, the French-Cambodian author who released 2 years ago the graphic novel set in Phnom Penh Eugénie agrees that the Cambodian market is weak. “The majority of my readers are foreigners. Comics are definitely not a priority for Khmer families” . Aware of this access problem, Patrick just released an ebook version of Eugénie hoping to reach a larger crowd “I want to try to generalise comic books in Cambodia. Digital versions may be one option”.
>> Download Eugénie at : http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DY5E0A4 ($6.5)
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Tales of an anti-guru
By Eve Watling
Following the life, thoughts and eccentricities of Indian thinker and harsh critic of guru culture UG Krishnamurti, Nicolas C. Grey and James Farley’s exhibition of their comic book collaboration This Dog Barking is a wild ride; wandering from Asia’s sleazy highstreets into the galaxy of individual molecules working together to form our bodies. With the seedy angst of a spiritual anti-quest told through UG’s poker-faced perspective, the comic resembles a psychedelic Asian version of Daniel Clowes’ Ghost World, with an Indian film poster aesthetic of Hindu gods and dodgy gurus thrown into the mix. Until September, The Java Cafe is displaying Grey’s exquisite pen and ink illustrations and colour paintings. It also has a small ‘UG-rama’, a room devoted to documents from Krishnamurti’s life, including photos of the man himself standing outside his favorite hangout, Wal-Mart. A must-see for anyone who loves Asia’s mix of the seedy and the spiritual. Showing until September 1st Java Café & Gallery (upstairs) No. 56, Sihanouk Blvd
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Drawing the Where Cambodian comic books started By Eve Watling Welcome to a land where ghosts, romance and magic abound : the Cambodian golden age comics are known for their wild stories that lay behind their poppingly colourful covers. Kickstarted by imported French comics, the 1960s and 70s Cambodian comic scene saw a boom in production, until the Khmer Rouge rule squashed all publishing. Although the European comics made their mark on the Golden Age style, they still stay true to Khmer culture, clearly influenced by traditional wat paintings. Primarily escapist in nature, it was surprisingly the romance stories that provided the most social commentary. Female artists were known to use the genre as an outlet to discuss issues such as domestic abuse.
Golden Age The comics are also unique in the way that they related to pop music of the time. “Sell your rice field and go to the bar” is based on a song that is a parody of the countryside farmer who goes to the big city to sell rice and is sucked into the world of girlie bars and debauchery. The song lyrics were printed at the back, presumably encouraging a singalong comic experience. These comics are still reprinted today, although many have been photocopied away from the original comic so many times that they have become ghostly echoes. Due to the widespread decline of Phnom Penh’s newsstands, Psar Orrusey is now the only reliable place in the city to find these comics, and can still be bought there for as little as 1000 riels each. Sadly, the surviving Golden Age artists rarely see this money. During the printing
process the rights for the comics were often sold to a middle man, most of whom have since vanished, leaving the comics in legal limbo. Due to the slapdash nature of production, comics appear and disappear on the market unpredictably : many comics are vulnerable to being lost forever. Luckily, the NGO ‘Our Books’ are working on archiving, translating and digitalising Golden Age comics, with 300 comics already scanned in. Due to the copyright problem, they are not yet available online, but physical archives can be reviewed at their office while they look for a library space to house this endangered gem in Cambodian culture. Our Books contact@ourbookscambodia.com www.OurBooksCambodia.com 012 526 840 / 023 223 242
Photos : Our Books
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Makeshift Manga First age of evolution
BY EVE WATLING
Although the Cambodian comic scene may be a little slow off the mark, it seems that Khmer youth are falling hard for manga. For Phnom Penh’s first annual cosplay party at the Cambodia-Japan Co-operation Centre, the packed-out hall is gawping at a young woman with knee length blue pigtails singing sweetly (mostly) and jumping around as much as her thigh high PVC platform boots will allow. The last bastion of manga-free Asia looks ready to fall, if the intensity of the applause she is gathering is anything to go by. “It’s spreading like wildfire”, 18 year old college student Mouyly Dim tells us, “although Cambodia is still a traditional society, so we have to keep it a secret!”. There’s nothing secretive about Mouyly and her friends today, who are dressed as manga character Kagamine Rin, with a flawless attention to detail: one girl even clutches an orange, Kagamine’s favourite fruit. Mouyly‘s love of manga started when she saw an episode of Pokemon posted on Myspace. “People then started posting their own drawings online and filming themselves dancing in cosplay. But it’s still hard to find the costumes in the market.” She shows me her pink floral dress, which is pure manga cutie-pie style : “This I remade myself from an ordinary market dress”.
Hikari Shomei poses at the first ever Cosplay event in Phnom Penh
> Do you speak Manga?
Cosplay [coz-plae]: an abbreviation of costume play. Dressing up as a fictional character, often from a manga or anime series.
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Phnom Penh’s first manga cafe owner, Japanese expat Kenji Hozawa, is similarly fanatical. “I think I must have re-read this at least 10 times!”, he tells me, holding up a copy of ‘Train Man’ by Hidenori Hara, “It’s about a geeky guy who falls in love. Romantic manga is not just for girls!” However, the teenager’s use of the internet to access manga for free means trouble for him. “For them $2 an hour to read a book and $100 for a costume is simply too expensive. There’s not much of a manga scene here yet. But it will grow: I hear that Bangkok has a cosplay show every week! ”. Although it has been open only a month, Kenji is considering big changes to the cafe to keep afloat. Yet even if the city’s not ready for him, it’s surely only a matter of time before Mouyly’s makeshift manga sub-culture becomes a force to be reckoned with.
INFO No. 80, St.51 - 069 860 411 - facebook.com/ Mangaphnompenh
The Succession o
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Khmer authors to Watch
BY EVE WATLING
A comic drawn by Vuth during the 24 Hour Comic Fest
Early Morning by Sao Sreymao drawn during the 24 Hour Comic Fest, translation by Our Books’.
The Balloon Seller by Seoung Makara drawn during the 24 Hour Comic Fest, translation by Our Books’.
With a curvy, fresh line and a pop culture focus, Moeu ‘VUTH’ Diyadaravuth brings a playfulness to the Khmer comic scene. Working for many NGOs, he also has a regular cartoon in AsiaLife and is training as a teacher. His comic documents young Khmer women’s love of Korean fashion.
Drawing on scenes from everyday life, freelance illustrator Sao Sreymao has published cartoons in the Phnom Penh Post, working both in pen and ink and with computer graphics. ‘Early Morning’ captures the quiet, inky, half-asleep world of the Cambodian dawn.
Soeung Makara lists publisher and animator as some of his many skills aside from cartooning. A graduate of the Royal University of Phnom Penh, he produces many cartoons for the NGO sector. ‘The Balloon Seller’ is typical of his expressive, explosive style.
Hands-on filmmaking It’s not just comics that are beginning to blossom in Cambodia : an animated film industry is also slowly coming to life. The Indian-owned animation school Digital Asia is planning a series of Bollywood influenced cartoons retelling Cambodian history; while graduates from French animation school Objectif 3D are working on ma jor Hollywood blockbusters. Similarly, Battambang-based animation studio 1000 Hands, a subset of the NGO Phare Ponleu Selpak, also trains arts graduates to become skilled in animation. Working for the biggest Cambodian market that currently demands animation, other NGOs, the output has been mainly short public information and awareness-raising films. However, training Cambodians in the expertise of animation not only equips artists with a
Cambodia in motion
By Eve Watling new form of expression, opening up the road to fiction feature-lengths, but also creates a Cambodian market for the many Western film companies looking to outsource animation work to a low-cost labour force. As long as the animation industry doesn’t go down the same path as the garment industry, with the West profiteering from outrageously low wages, this move will create much needed jobs for arts graduates and considerably bolster Cambodia’s creative industry. INFO http://www.1000handspictures. blogspot.com/
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UR health
Dental tourism : Vagabond dentist
By Pierre Rabotin Keeping up with the success of his previous dental clinic, Dr Itaru Mori took a step forward in dental tourism last month when he combined his new clinic with a poolside hotel nestled in the heart of BKK, where 80% of his Phnom Penh patients live. “It’s a new kind of dental tourism package. I call it dental care and swimming” explains Dr Mori, clearly surfing the wealthy wave of dental tourism. His patients from Japan, Australia, Malaysia or Singapore can now stay in one of the ten beautiful rooms of the hotel AVE Gran, and enjoy the swimming pool or chill in the quiet French-inspired yard imagined by a Japanese owner with a long history of doing business in Europe. And when the time of their appointment comes, they don’t have far to walk to reach Mori’s chair, from which they can gaze at the swimming pool’s spangles.
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Dr Mori’s new clinic And if they enjoy the décor, they will enjoy the price of the service even more. For 1/4 to 1/3 of the western price they can get the high standard of dental care they’re used to. From engineering to softwares to tools, Cambodia imported most of the up-todate material from Japan -“even the doctors” adds Dr Mori with a laugh. Dr Mori does crowns and bridges at an unimaginable pace. “I’ve covered 24 teeth in 7 days. It’s my personal record : probably a Guinness record” he explains. One of the reasons the clinic has been so successful for the past year has probably something to do with Mori’s personality. Engaging and reassuring (a good thing when you are at the dentist’s) Dr Mori built a strong clientele in Phnom Penh. What do they like about their dentist ?His calm way of explaining everything, his skills and probably his craziness too.
When you reach the entrance of the clinic, you’ll notice an intriguing film noir movie poster. As Mori explains it, the scene features Doc John Holliday, a gambler and gunfighter from the 19th century, involved in the famous gunfight at O.K Coral. As strange as it sounds, Holliday was also a dentist, and a pretty good one too. “He is the vagabond dentist” explains Mori, proud of his sign, “It’s the same as me”. And indeed Dr Mori put dental tourism under the spotlights in Cambodia. But without the gun, obviously.
INFO Dr Mori Dental clinic / Hotel AVE Gran No. 16, St. 398 – 023 996 480 Facebook : Dr. Mori Dental Clinic www.aqualine-dc.com italgriffin@me.com Photos : Jeremie Montessuis
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UR cinema
5 REASONS YOU WATCH “Crocodile
Man”
Rediscovering Khmer culture By Eve Watling
(‘Kropeu Lok Nen’)
This month we’re revisiting Crocodile Man (1972) directed by Hui Keung, a story of love, kidnap and karate chopping – think the Princess Bride meets Crocodile Dundee. A young man disobeys a shaman and turns himself into a crocodile, eventually capturing a millionaire’s daughter played by WUPP’s July issue cover star Dy Saveth. Will his village rival be able to defeat the Crocodile Man and save the girl ? Here’s why you should bother to find out:
#1 it’s funny
From the opening, a sly parody of the white elephant heralding Buddha’s birth played out by a squabbling elderly couple who dream of crocodiles, most of the humor in Crocodile Man is still genuinely hilarious. However, the easily offended should look away during the scenes with a fake Chinese man that makes Mickey Rourke look like a model of cultural sensitivity.
#2
It’s beautifully odd and oddly beautiful
The opening sequence of playful crocodiles overlaid with hand painted Chinese writing is bold and fresh, while the outrageously fake crocodile used when the hero transforms himself is a sight to behold in itself. Crocodile Man is a colorful feast for the senses (not least the sense of incredulity).
smashing stereotypes > Forget any prejudice you might have about old films : Cambodian cinema from the 1960’s and 70’s isn’t anything like the dull weepies your granny loves watching on the telly. Magical creatures roam freely and princesses sing sassily, while shamans shove sticks through their faces and viciously hex each other. Despite (or because of) their low budgets, they are still hugely watchable and well crafted – both in terms of the exciting pacing and the deft trickery that overcomes a lack of special effects technology. Surely it can’t be long before Quentin Tarantino steals – I mean pastiches – the Cambodian Golden Age movie. Photos : Bophana Center
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SHOULD #5 #3
It has some bad-ass fighting scenes
More influenced by the Chinese Kung Fu movie than most Khmer Golden Age films, Crocodile Man has more mid-air tripleflips than you can shake a combat stick at.
#4 The soundtrack’s great Particularly lovely is Saveth singing a glitteringly flirtatious duet with the crocodile man, telling him that his claim to be able to turn into a crocodile is just a lover’s boast.
It teaches us about Cambodian life
Ok, so perhaps men were never able to turn into crocodiles and hide princesses in secret underwater caves. But it’s great to get a glimpse into the culture of the kru khmae, the shamans that are still the center of many rural communities.
INFO Watch Crocodile Man on Youtube, or at the Bophana Audiovisual Centre – it’s totally free! Bophana Centre : No. 64, St. 200, Phnom Penh 023 992 174 - bophana.org
www.wuppmag.com
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UR band
by Tom Stall
Skanking across the city
A few weeks back we discovered a very new exciting addition to the Phnom Penh music scene : Jazhad, a powerful Ska band that is fast gathering some of the best musicians in town. The result is a hectic and festive sound that stubbornly refuses to leave your brain for days after the party is over. We met the man behind the band, double bass player Sebastien Adnot.
We play what I’d call ‘non boring Jazz’
> interview
How did you guys gather together for this project ? The original idea comes from Equinox & Green House owner Marc Salvetti who felt the PP’s musical scene was missing a Ska band. So I decided to hire the best musicians, and all of them were up for it and answered the call not even knowing what we were going to play.
How the public received your music ? It was a miracle ! You can never know in advance if people will like it, it has nothing to do with how good and skilled you are but with chemistry or even mysticism ! The public reception was amazing. Usually people move aside chairs and tables and start to party hard !! Can you tell us any good stories ?
Were there any challenges mixing Ska and Jazz? None ! 80% of our repertoire comes from The Skatalites’ for whom I have an unconditional love. They already gave us all the keys to master that sound since 1963. On stage, we cover one great song by Bob Marley and the Skatalites. >> How would you describe your music ? Personally I call it “non boring Jazz“.
For our second gig at The Latin Quarter, all the Cambodian people in the street gathered to listen to the music and dance. It was stunning because usually they are quite jazzproof. We are really proud that we managed to make Cambodians like this music.
INFO
Jazhad will play on August 23rd at Doors and 24th at Slur Bar
> Meet the band Samuel “Fury” Day Harmet Mandolin Euan “Wizard” Grey Saxophone Alex “Almighty” Scarpati Trombone Greg “Thunder” Lavender Drums
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Seb “Papa dub” Double bass
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OF T S I L NTH Y A L P E MO TH From starting off 14 years ago on London’s pirate radio to parties in Ibiza, Simon has brought the underground sound of Europe’s finest club scene to Phnom Penh. ‘Drop Dead Disco’, his new underground House and Tech night launched last month at Backstage, has built a platform to spread the scene. 1. And I Say Nicolas Jaar Ft Scout Larue & Will Epstein
Listen to Simon’s exclusive set only on : wuppmag.com
4. Gabriel – Roy Davis Junior
“One of the first records I bought all those years ago, still sounds fresh”
“My Favorite producer is always pushing the boundaries. Hard to choose just one of his tracks”
5. Rough Patch - Slow Hands
2. Voyeur - James Blake
6. What I Might Do - Ben Pearce
3. Rich - Cosmo Sheldrake Ft Anna Roo
7. Regrets We Have None - Maxxi Soundsystem
“London’s finest, turning in an another electronic masterpiece”
“My friends used this for the promo video for their ‘Meadows in the Mountain’ festival in Bulgaria. It was stuck in my head all last summer”
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simon c vent
“Sounds like summer”
“Someone asks for the title of this track every time I drop it. So here you go”
“Puts the bass bins to the test”
8. Arcane - Supervision
“I’ve closed many a party at sunrise with this. Guaranteed goose bumps”
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UR sport
Cambodia:
the new golf spot BY WUPP
interview
Cambodia is now the 2nd fastest growing golf destination in Asia, featuring world class golf courses such as Angkor Golf Resort in Siem Reap. Over the past decade Cambodia has witnessed a steady influx of golf courses. The number is now up to 8 with plans in place to double this number in the coming years. WUPP Mag caught up with PGA Professional David Baron, Director of Golf at the prestigious Angkor Golf Resort, to learn more about this recent craze!
Is golf popular in Asia ? In the last 20 years Golf in Asia has developed at an incredible rate. China has boomed, with over 700 golf courses built in the last decade and the trend has continued throughout the East. Today, 7 of the world’s top 10 Female Golfers are Asian. Golf Tourism in SE Asia is now big business with Thailand leading the way. It was reported that Golf Tourism in Thailand generated revenues in excess of $2 billion last year. We don’t meet a lot of Cambodian players though… The number of Golf rounds in Cambodia increases year on year but this is mainly through ‘Golf Tourism’. Golf to locals in many Asian countries is still seen as an elitist game only for the rich with little opportunities for youngsters to take part. >>
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Swing it like Tiger How do you explain this development ? The impressive growth of golf tourism in Cambodia is largely due to the unique qualities that Cambodia offers as a destination with several world class golf courses in close proximity and the breathtaking Angkor Wat which is located close to all 3 Golf Courses in Siem Reap. In recent years both Angkor Golf Resort and Phokeethra Country Club have hosted International Tournaments on the Asian Tour which is televised around the world, offering great exposure for both the destination and golf in general.
The 5th Annual Angkor Amateur Open takes place once again this year at Angkor Golf Resort from 2-4 August with 90 players already signed up to claim Cambodia’s most prestigious golf title. INFO For further information on Golf in Cambodia or to book a game at Angkor Golf Resort you can contact David at : david@angkor-golf.com or log onto www.angkor-golf.com to learn more about the course.
Photos : Richard Castka
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UR foodie trip
FOODIEBUS Cambodia Tour Episode #4: Kep
BY TOM STALL The Foodiebus Cambodia Tour finally ended with a last culinary trip to the restful Kep where Anne and Bo spent few days at The Jasmine Valley, a hidden eco-resort of the seaside city. After several breakdowns, the yellow bus finally made it to Kep and the Jasmin Valley, owned by Jasmine and Owen Beck. Our favourite restaurant owners were amazed by the family spirit floating around the place. Fond of skateboarding, Owen installed the only bowl in Cambodia in his resort and often welcomes kids from the NGO Skateistan. He’s also sponsoring Dith, one of his talented staff eager to follow Tony Hawks’ tracks. Owen loves skateboards, but he’s also pas-
sionate about food, always experimenting with new recipes using local products and looking for unusual flavours. Right now, he’s brewing a star fruit beer - give it a try if you’re around Kep. When it came to choosing the recipe they would learn, Anne and Bo were offered to discover “fried egg with tamarind”, a typical and simple recipe from the area. Chef Mom opened her kitchen’s doors and taught them the last dish of their trip : Recipe: • Boil 4 eggs • Fry until they become golden • Put dry chilies in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes then put them in an absorbent tissue • Chop the shallots then fry them with the chili • Mix 2 big tablespoons of Tamarind paste with 2 tablespoons of water • Heat oil in a pan and add shallots + chili, tamarind, brown sugar (1/2 a tablespoon). Add a bit of water then put the eggs • Add salt, pepper, fish sauce and lime • Serve hot with some mint leaves So that’s how the Foodiebus Cambodia Tour ended – with a crunchy, spicy egg sunset. The delightful Foodiebus restaurantis now closed as Anne and Bo travel back to France to start a new adventure. The WUPP team wishes them the best.
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