Sithen’s Portrait for SFA 2025
Since 2009, Sithen SUM has mobilized thousands of Cambodian (young) film enthusiasts to build their foundations, producing some 100 titles and showcasing their short films, through intensive workshops and trips and especially, Chaktomuk Short Film Festival (CSFF). His commercial producing experiences was remarkable through his work at local movie distribution company PuPrum in 2016 and 2017 and marketing consultancy to DancingRains production, from 2019 to 2021. In late 2018, he graduated from a six-month movie producing course at Busan Asian Film School (South Korea). After founding Sunflower Film Alliance in late 2017 and registering Sunflower Film Organization (SFO) in 2019, he pursued his mission in training Cambodian and indigenous youths and profiling up their works, through “Let’s Document Cambodia” program. Since 2019, he has expanded both SFO’s and CSFF’s relationship respectively with dozens of international partners and festivals, mainly in Asia, including Southeast Asia Video Festival for Children (2024), which he has governed as Governing Board Director for Cambodia. His recent activities have been positively varied through his participation in regional and European projects and workshops, covering film programming, youth development and peace building.
The films he produced with accolades so far include, but are not limited to:
- Red Ink (short film) by LY Polen (as part of “Pram Ang” anthology, Kon Khmer Koun Khmer 2016) – Best Short Film by Cambodia National Short Film Festival 2017, Official Selection by Tokyo International Film Festival 2019
- The Wall (short film) by PO Sakun (SFA 2022) – Official Selection by Asia-Pacific Micro-Movies Film Festival 2024
- The Colour (short film) by CHAN Pisey (SFA 2022) – Official Selection by Cambodia International Film Festival 2022
- Missing (short film) by MAO Sambath (SFA 2024) – Best Directing by Cambodia National Short Film Festival 2024
- The Last Revision (short film) by UNG Sivthong (SFA 2025) – Official Selection by Cambodia International Film Festival and Show Me Shorts Film Festival (New Zealand) 2026
- The Sacred Forest and Kui Basket (short documentaries) by KHOT Son and YEA Chhern (LDC 2025) – Official Selection by Cambodia International Film Festival 2026
Apart from his film missions, he has co-founded Ahkara Translation Agency since 2009 to provide language solutions to his main clientele in social work and arts. From 2023 to the present days, he has been engaged to manage a series of business/training projects and advise senior students in short film thesis projects for their Bachelor Degrees through Norton University and Build Bright University.
Since late 2019, he has travelled between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, where he invest quality with his small family.
Contact
Phone: (855) 12 684 955 | 15 226 602 (WhatsApp/Telegram)
Email: contact[a]sumsithen.com | sithenos10[a]gmail.com