The story of legendary martial artist and kickboxer Oum Ry is pulse-pounding, disturbing, and powerful, beautifully told by his daughter Zochada Tat and Addi Somekh. Oum Ry (b. 1944) is a former international champion kickboxer who introduced the Cambodian martial art Pradal Serey to the U.S. After his family of silver engravers struggled to provide for him, he lived with monks and sought out Pradal Serey masters, becoming national champion at just 23 and one of the region's most famous fighters. Over 15 years, he toured Southeast Asia, winning over 250 fights without ever suffering a knockout. However, his life took a dark turn when his wife gave birth in 1975, just two months before the Khmer Rouge plunged Cambodia into civil war, resulting in widespread starvation, disease, and mass executions. Oum Ry survived the genocide, though much of his family perished. His fame and talent helped him evade death in Cambodia, but he faced a life-threatening attack during Southern California’s gang violence in the 1990s. As a refugee in Chicago, he learned English while cleaning hotels, eventually opening one of the first kickboxing gyms in the U.S. His life story culminates in a highly anticipated return to Cambodia in February 2022 to reunite with family and pass on Pradal Serey traditions.
