Khieu Saran was 17 years old when the Khmer Rouge swept into Phnom Penh to “liberate” the Cambodian people. The brief moment of joy soon turned to horror. Khieu discovered re-education camps, torture, and extermination before being forced to become an executioner for Pol Pot’s regime. After escaping from hell, he becomes an investigating judge at an international criminal tribunal, tasked with tracking down former regime officials — until the day he uncovers the trail of Vorn, his former torturer. Accompanied by Sokha, his adopted daughter, Khieu travels to France to confront the ghosts of his past.
With ambition and humanity, Une main vers le ciel (A Hand Towards the Sky) explores filiation and transmission: what can still be passed on after the unspeakable? Blending historical epic with action fiction, Jean-Christophe Boccou examines the fine line between justice and revenge, and reminds us of the urgent need to remember.
