What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedFirst They Killed My Father
Angelina Jolie · Film · 2017
If you loved First They Killed My Father, start with Five Came Back (2017) — a series on the same thread. Below: 2 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to First They Killed My Father across media.
What hooked you in First They Killed My Father was the way political upheaval forces children to navigate impossible, life-altering survival.
Books on the same thread
Girl at War
Sara Novic · Book · 2016
Explores: War, Childhood Trauma, Identity.
Like First They Killed My Father, this story captures the abrupt loss of innocence as a young girl is thrust into the chaos of war and displacement.
The Hunger Games
Suzanne Collins · Book · 2008
Explores: authoritarianism, class inequality, spectacle of violence.
Much like the protagonist in First They Killed My Father, this young girl must rely on her wits to survive a brutal, authoritarian regime that demands everything.
Series on the same thread
The Vietnam War
Series · 2017
Explores: War Trauma, Anti-War Movement, Cold War Conflicts.
If the historical weight of First They Killed My Father resonated with you, this documentary provides a similarly immersive look at the trauma and complexity of modern conflict.
Generation War
Philipp Kadelbach · Series · 2013
Shares a thread with First They Killed My Father: Loss of Innocence.
This drama mirrors the way First They Killed My Father illustrates the destruction of youthful hope when individuals are caught in the gears of a massive, violent conflict.
Five Came Back
Series · 2017
Explores: Filmmaking, War Experience, Propaganda.
While First They Killed My Father documents personal survival, this series explores how the lens of history is constructed during war, offering a vital perspective on the same era.
Generation Kill
David Simon · Series · 2008
Explores: fog of war, moral ambiguity, military bureaucracy.
This series captures the same moral ambiguity and systemic failure seen in First They Killed My Father, focusing on how individuals endure the harsh realities of active combat zones.
Podcasts on the same thread
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts · Podcast · 2026
Explores: mental health awareness, female friendship, coping mechanisms.
Though different in tone from First They Killed My Father, this podcast shares a focus on deep storytelling and the human need to process trauma through shared experience.
First Conviction
Podcast
Shares a thread with First They Killed My Father: Family Separation.
This investigation echoes the profound sense of family separation and injustice found in First They Killed My Father, highlighting how individuals fight to reclaim their lives after catastrophe.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is First They Killed My Father based on a true story?
First They Killed My Father depicts the harrowing survival of a five-year-old girl during the rise and reign of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. The film portrays the historical reality of this period through the perspective of a child caught in the sudden political upheaval.
How long is the movie First They Killed My Father?
The film First They Killed My Father has a runtime of 136 minutes. It documents the experiences of a young girl navigating the dangerous environment created by the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia during the 1970s.
Who directed First They Killed My Father?
Angelina Jolie directed the 2017 film First They Killed My Father. The movie focuses on the survival story of a five-year-old girl who must endure the terrifying reign of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.
What is the primary setting of First They Killed My Father?
First They Killed My Father is set in Cambodia during the rise and reign of the Khmer Rouge. The narrative follows a five-year-old girl as she embarks on a quest for survival amidst the sudden and terrifying political changes occurring in the country.