Just Being There follows British photographer Colin Grafton, who arrived in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 1973, just before the Khmer Rouge genocide, and later volunteered in refugee camps along the Thai border. Amid civil war, he captured rare, intimate photographs of daily life, revealing the beauty of Cambodia’s capital city. Decades later, the film revisits these images and the people within them, offering a powerful act of remembrance. By unveiling this rarely seen archive, Just Being There restores a vital piece of cultural memory, bridging loss and survival, history and healing.

Funds raised go directly toward post-production: licensing archival film footage from major media archives, commissioning the film’s soundtrack, professional audio mixing, and color correction required for festival exhibition and broadcast delivery.

No matter what amount you donate, you will be included in the credits.

Our current costs are close to $6,000 for archival footage alone, although we are trying to negotiate. We also want to hire a composer, colorist, and audio engineer for a sound mix.

We are really excited to share this story with everyone, especially Cambodians at home and in the diaspora.

"No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe."