37 heavens is an upcoming movie by and set to be filmed in 2023 in the famous Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia.
Movie producers are Graham Leader from SeaLion Films and Jamie Bialkower from Jump Street Films. Director is Marc Munden, based on a script written by Steve Austin.
The story focus on the relationship between former first-lady Jackie Kennedy and British diplomat Lord David Harlech.
The title of the movie 37 heavens comes from the famous bas-relief from the Hindu mythology about 32 hells and 37 heavens that can be found in the Eastern section of the southern gallery of Angkor Wat.
37 HEAVENS MOVIE SYNOPSIS (credit: IMDB.com)
In 1967, 4 years after Dallas, Prince Sihanouk invites a still grieving Jackie Kennedy on an official visit to Cambodia. Jackie invites the charismatic British diplomat Lord David Harlech to accompany her. Set amidst the breathtaking ruins of Angkor Wat, 37 HEAVENS recounts their brief but intense love affair.
37 HEAVENS MOVIE CAST
- Gemma Arterton (Quantum Of Solace, The King’s Man) as Jackie Kennedy.
- Guy Pearce (Mare Of Easttown, The Hurt Locker) as Lord David Harlech.
37 HEAVENS | JACKIE KENNEDY VISIT TO ANGKOR WAT IN 1967
In november 1967, only 4 years after the death of John F. Kennedy, Jackie Kennedy realized her long time dream to visit the temples of Angkor in Cambodia. At this time the United States and Cambodia did not have any diplomatic relations so this visit was also a political one.
Jackie visited Bayon temple guided by Bernard Philippe Groslier, historian and archeologist curator of Angkor at the time. Interestingly we could not find any archive pictures of of Jackie Kennedy visiting Angkor Wat.
The visit was captured by photographer Philip Jones Griffiths and made the cover of Time Magazine in November 1967 (Jackie Kennedy in Cambodia: She Fulfills a Life–Long Wish by Visiting the Ancient Land).
Cover of Life magazine in November 1967
37 HEAVENS AND 32 HELLS | ANGKOR WAT BAS-RELIEF PHOTO GALLERY
The 37 heavens and 32 hells gallery of Angkor Wat is a large bas-relief which can be found on the eastern section of the southern gallery. Stretching over 60 meters, it depicts rewards, punishment and torture of the Hindu Hell. A large 18-armed Yama, god of the dead, sitting on a bufallo, is directing the story,
Some part of the bas-relief are polished because people touching the carvings the past 100 years.
Scene of torture in one of the level of hell
Scene of torture in one of the level of hell
18-armed Yama, god of death riding a buffalo
Scene of the 32 hells at Angkor Wat southern gallery
Garudas holding the lower levels of heavens
