First sight: Thet Sambath

Who is he? A fearless Cambodian journalist. For a decade Sambath tracked down and interviewed Khmer Rouge killers who took part in the genocide of the late 1970s. His family went hungry as he filled a crate with meticulously archived audio- and videotapes. He sounds amazing, but what has he got to do with Film&Music? He's co-directed a documentary, Enemies of the People, which won the special jury prize at Sundance. The title is a phrase used by one of his interviewees, Nuon Chea, to describe the victims. Chea was Pol Pot's ideologue-in-chief and second in command. This is the first time he has spoken about the killings. How did Sambath get him to crack? With friendship. He visited Chea – now in his 80s – for three years before he let his guard down. That tactic also worked on the foot soldiers, who speak with appalling frankness about the atrocities and, extraordinarily, seem liberated by their confessions. Sounds harrowing You'd think so. Especially when you learn that Sambath's family died at the hands of the Khmer Rouge. But his crusade is for understanding, not vengeance – he's been called a "one-man truth and reconciliation commission". What next? Another film with his British co-director, this one about the Khmer Rouge leadership. Enemies of the People is out on 10 December to coincide with Human Rights Day.