Imagine waking up each morning on a floating home, surrounded by water that provides everything from food, water and income to community. For the families of Cambodia’s Tonlé Sap Lake, this isn’t imagination. It’s daily life.

Fed by the Mekong River, Tonlé Sap is Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake and the beating heart of Cambodia’s food system. It supplies nearly 75% of the nation’s fish and accounts for 60% of the country’s protein intake. Generations of families here have relied on its waters for fishing, farming, cooking, and survival. But now, the balance is slipping. Fish populations are dwindling. Pollution is rising. Climate pressures are tightening their grip.

Life Afloat, a Rivers are Life film, takes us inside this fragile ecosystem to meet two River Heroes, Sarin Rouen and Sophal Sea, who are determined to fight back. Through community education, sustainable practices, and eco-tourism, they are rallying their neighbors to tackle pollution and defend the lake that sustains them.

This isn’t just about environmental survival, it’s about cultural preservation. The floating villages of Tonlé Sap are among the most unique human settlements on Earth. As trash washes in from the Mekong and fish grow scarce, the future of these communities is at stake. But Sarin, Sophal, and their allies refuse to give up. Their fight is rooted in passion, tradition, and the belief that local action can spark global change.

Visually stunning and deeply human, Life Afloat offers a rare glimpse into life on the lake while showing how creativity and resilience can rise above even the heaviest challenges.