CAMBODIA'S HEAD OF STATE, PRINCE SIHANOUK, HAS BEGUN FILMING A ROMANTIC WAR PICTURE, ENTITLED "THE ROSE OF BOKOR", IN WHICH HE DIRECTS, STARS, WRITES THE MUSIC AND EDITS THE FILM. PRODUCTION IS AT PRESENT TAKING PLACE ON LOCATION AT BOKOR HILL, A RESORT AREA NEAR THE BORDER WITH VIETNAM.

THE FILM IS A STORY OF A ROMANCE BETWEEN A JAPANESE COLONEL AND A NIECE OF A FRENCH COMMANDER IN CAMBODIA DURING WORLD WAR TWO.

PRINCE SIHANOUK PLAYS THE PART OF THE JAPANESE COLONEL, WHO ARRIVED IN CAMBODIA IN 1942, WHILE PRINCESS MONIK, HIS WIFE, PLAYS THE PART OF THE FRENCH COMMANDER'S NIECE.

PRINCESS MONIK ALSO IS IN CHARGE OF THE WARDROBES AND MAKE-UP.

CAMBODIAN ACTRESSES WERE SENT TO JAPAN TO LEARN JAPANESE DANCING AND SONGS ESPECIALLY FOR THE FILM, IN WHICH CAMBODIAN ACTORS PLAY THE PAST OF JAPANESE SOLDIERS.

WHEN LOCATION FILMING IS COMPLETED AT BOKOR HILL, PRODUCTION WILL MOVE TO THE ROYAL FILM STUDIO IN PHNOM PENH.

IT IS THE EIGHTH FILM WHICH THE PRINCE HAS DIRECTED.