In Battambang, Cambodia, a once-beloved cinema stands on the brink of demolition. Sneaking in to document its final days, a journalist named Hai encounters Thida, the spectral guardian of the decaying theater. Faced with the building's destruction, Thida is granted a rare choice: to fade away, or to be reborn into the human world. As the two embark on a metaphysical journey through a rapidly modernizing nation, they find themselves bound by a shared history of displacement.

Polen Ly’s debut feature Becoming Human is a gorgeous, meditative film that quietly explores time, memory and resilience, asking how we find a way forward when the places that hold our history and identity disappear.

Virtual Q&A:

Join us on Thursday 30 July's session for a post-show virtual Q&A with director Polen Ly.

In Khmer with English subtitles.

Rated PG for Some Disturbing Scenes.

Presented in collaboration with SGIFF for SGIFF Replay:

Missed last year's edition of SGIFF? SGIFF REPLAY is here! 
From 17 July to 8 Aug, SGIFF REPLAY takes over Filmhouse, screening five standout films from the 2025 season that deserve a second run. Snag a spot to our online Q&As with filmmakers Shio Miyake (Two Seasons, Two Strangers), Kent Jones (Late Fame), and Polen Ly (Becoming Human), and hang out with local filmmakers, animators, activists, and poets during our fireside chats and live poetry readings.