Sidney Ken is an award-winning Cambodian filmmaker, commercial colorist, and scriptwriter based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. His work focuses on documentaries that examine social change, culture, and environmental issues. Sidney directed and edited Respoken (2024), a documentary about the fate of Lakhon Niyeay (Spoken Theater) and the people fighting to keep it alive. The film won Best Documentary at the 4th Cambodia National Short Film Festival, was an Official Selection at the 13th Chaktomuk Short Film Festival, and premiered at Major Cineplex Sorya, with multiple screenings across Cambodia.
In addition to documentary filmmaking, Sidney has significant experience in commercial production, having worked as a lead colorist and assistant camera for projects with major brands like Prince Bank, Starbucks, ABA, Cellcard, DQ, Wing, and CBVH. He was awarded 1st place at Samsung Galaxy Campus in June 2024, earning the title of Samsung Galaxy Student Ambassador for creating the most engaging and high-quality video.
In May 2024, he received a Video Editing & Color Grading Certificate from the Professional Institute of Cambodia x DMC and became a Certified Colorist in DaVinci Resolve through Blackmagic Design. He also pursued scriptwriting, completing the Scriptwriting 101 Workshop by Write & Eat in June 2024 and the Chakto Scriptwriting Workshop in November 2024, organized by Anti-Archive and Institut français du Cambodge. During this period, he developed a dystopian short film script, Smile Inc., which was pitched for funding to an international jury.
Sidney is currently expanding his focus beyond documentaries, delving into dystopian storytelling and new-age genres, while continuing his work with NGOs on social impact films. His commitment to filmmaking, along with his technical skills and innovative storytelling, positions him as a rising voice in Cambodian cinema.