One String

It is not made in foreign country and by foreigner. It has over-one-thousand-year history. It was originally born in Cambodia, made by Cambodian and played by Cambodian. However, many Cambodian don’t know the musical instrument -Kse Diev. “Only 7 to 8 people in Cambodia can play Kse Diev,” says Master Sok Duch, the only surviving master of Kse Diev in Cambodia after Pol Pot regime. Through generations, without the support from younger generation, the situation of Kse Diev is getting worse and worse - from being a famous instrument to express the heart and feeling to a wooden piece which is not known by many Cambodian youths. The one-string instrument is now taught how to play at two main places: Wat Bo in Siem Reap province and Cambodia Living Arts in Phnom Penh taught by Master Sok Duch. Among a group of Cambodian youths who are studying at CLA, only two are potential, and the two students normally go to learn it at Master Sok Duch’s home in Takeo province at the weekend.
Pol Pot regime and the popularity of foreign musical instruments and culture almost make the great Cambodian Kse Diev unknown to the mass public.
The documentary aims to promote Kse Diev to all Cambodian especially youths due to the fact that there’s only one master alive and the master is 88 years old now. Likewise, the documentary will include the vision of the Kse Diev master, Kse Diev students, general Cambodian especially youths, NGOs in preserving Kse Diev and improving its popularity so that this great-but-rare instrument can be known by next generations of Cambodian.
Production Team: Dara Saoyuthnea, Yang Chandara, Rin Sokreth.