Written by new-contact on Jun 1, 2012. Posted in Production News

French Survivor TV show Koh-Lanta films on location on separate Cambodian island

Koh-Lanta: La Revanche des Heros (The Heroes’ Revenge) has filmed on location in Cambodia. The show is a French version of the US Survivor format, which puts contestants through gruelling physical challenges.

Filming took place on Koh Rong Island in Cambodia for about three weeks, with servicing from Bophana Production in the capital Phnom Penh. The island is around 270 km from the capital and 45 km from the coastal resort town of Sihanoukville. A 50-minute speed boat trip is the cheapest way to get there, although the Koh-Lanta team used helicopters as well, both for transport and aerial filming.

The island itself offers spectacular landscapes, which were clearly a major appeal for the Koh-Lanta team, while the region itself is only in the early stages of development. Around 100 bungalows are available on the island, but most of the production team stayed on the coast and were transported by boat.

The challenge was to set up the base on the island [and have] a reliable internet connection, electricity and water supply, as well as the catering.

Cedric Eloy, Cambodian Film Commission

Cedric Eloy worked on the show for the Cambodian Film Commission: “The challenge was to set up the base on the island [and have] a reliable internet connection, electricity and water supply, as well as the catering. Local companies have greatly helped to overcome that challenge.

Internet connectivity was arranged with basic cabling set up by the crew, while generators and a water supply were also sorted a few weeks before the shoot.

Eloy adds: “A good contact with the local population was an important part of the process as to explain what will be done and what benefits it will bring to the island in the future. Securing the tourist bungalows all around the island was also an important production task.”

Nearly 50 Cambodian crew members worked on the shoot alongside the French. Limited equipment supplies were brought in from Phnom Penh, but all video equipment was imported from overseas.

The Cambodian Film Commission will be at the AFCI Locations Show on June 15th and 16th 2012 at the Asian Film Commission Network Booth.

(Photos: ALP/Cambodian Film Commission)