Since the military coup of 1 February 2021 and the annihilation of the democratic process, the Burmese film scene has been torn apart, forcing many filmmakers into exile or compelling them to continue their work in dangerous clandestinity. These terrible conditions have not prevented them from exploring issues of exile, violence, identity and memory. This political context gives particular significance to this programme, which brings the voices of Burmese resistance to the screen, almost four years to the day after the situation dramatically changed, in the face of the near-total indifference of the international community.

An extraordinarily diverse ethnic, religious and geographical mosaic, Burma is home, alongside the Bamar majority, to around 130 minorities with their own cultures and languages, representing nearly one third of the population and extending across half of the country's territory. Theravāda Buddhism plays a central role, coexisting with spirit worship, Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Located between India and China, Burma lies at the heart of crucial geopolitical issues, intensified by its access to the Indian Ocean, its prodigious natural resources and its abundant labour force.

Burmese cinema reflects the turbulent history and distinctive characteristics of this country. During the period of the Kingdom of Bagan (9th–13th centuries), Burma reached a cultural peak marked by the spread of Theravāda Buddhism. In the 16th century, under the Taungû dynasty, the country became the largest empire in Southeast Asia, a military and cultural power that dominated the region. In the wake of British rule, which began in 1824, Burmese cinema emerged at the beginning of the 20th century, introduced by Indian entrepreneurs who screened imported films. The first film made in Burma was footage of the funeral of Tun Shein, a Burmese independence activist, filmed shortly before 1914. The first local fiction productions followed, influenced by traditional narratives and religious epics, before films addressing social issues came to the fore in the 1930s (The Emerald Jungle, Maung Tin Maung, 1934). Cinema became a tool of cultural resistance until independence in 1948, which ushered in a new generation of filmmakers. The 1950s and 1960s are often regarded as the golden age of Burmese cinema (My Darling, Pho Par Gyi, 1950), marked by a flourishing, sophisticated and diverse film industry that did not shy away from addressing social and political themes.

General Ne Win's coup in 1962 and the adoption of the “Burmese Way to Socialism” marked the beginning of strict censorship. Filmmakers were forced to work within a narrow ideological framework, which some nevertheless managed to circumvent. As Jane Ferguson points out³, Burmese cinema has always been a space for dissent and expression, even during the darkest periods, when films often conveyed subtle social and political allegories (Tender Are the Feet, Maung Wunna, 1973).

In 1988, Burma experienced an unprecedented popular uprising against the military regime, demanding democracy and reforms. Aung San Suu Kyi emerged as a central figure of the opposition and founded the National League for Democracy (NLD). Violently suppressed, the movement led to her being placed under house arrest, despite elections being held in 1990 in which her party won an overwhelming victory. The following year, in 1989, the junta renamed the country “Myanmar” in an attempt to consolidate its power, while exacerbating ethnic tensions and imposing severe restrictions on artistic freedom. This period also saw the rise of Buddhist ultranationalism, laying the foundations for anti-Muslim hatred that would culminate in the genocide of the Rohingya between 2016 and 2017.

The decade from 2011 to 2021 marked a period of relative calm and democratic opening with the National League for Democracy coming to power, with Aung San Suu Kyi as its de facto leader, despite her role being limited by the military. This period was accompanied by a cinematic renaissance, encouraged by a relaxation of censorship.

The coup of 1 February 2021 dealt a severe blow to this renaissance. Members of the democratically elected government were arrested, and many filmmakers were imprisoned, tortured or forced into exile, as were many Burmese people who initially took part in peaceful demonstrations through the Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM), before taking up arms to fight alongside the People's Defence Forces (PDF)⁴ and ethnic armed organisations.

Yet Burmese filmmakers, working underground or in exile and scattered across the world, continue to make films. They continue to delve into themes of cultural identity, memory and survival, all of which are visible in this programme, which reflects the wounds, struggles and hopes of a nation shaped by decades of conflict and repression.

A common thread running through a large part of the films in this programme is the determination of individuals and communities to resist oppression and pursue their goals at all costs. MA – Cry of Silence (The Maw Naing, 2024) portrays women workers standing up against injustice and embarking on the struggle of their lives, while Bittersweet Honey (Freddy, 2023) follows three beekeepers whose survival is threatened by civil war, offering a poignant metaphor for the fragility of ecosystems in the face of human conflict. The lively Money Has Four Legs (Maung Sun, 2020) follows a young filmmaker determined to complete his film in accordance with his artistic vision, despite the misfortunes that continue to pile up along his path. What Happened to the Wolf? (Na Gyi, 2021) takes us on a poetic road movie alongside two women in the final stages of terminal illness, determined to accept their fate, while in Guilt (Na Gyi, 2023), a young woman involved in the resistance is determined to flee the country while her partner is being tortured in detention.

Violence and contempt in all their forms, particularly towards women, constitute another central theme of this programme. 14 Apples (Midi Z, 2018) subtly addresses, among other things, the question of the loss of masculine prestige that proximity to women's clothing might supposedly entail for a man, while Kayah Lily (Mi Mi Lwin and Htwe Htwede, 2020) explores the traumatic consequences of rape on a child. Dear Daughter (Hsu Pan Naing, 2021) exposes the trafficking of Burmese women sold as wives in China. For some of these most disturbing subjects, animation often provides a remarkable degree of distance, allowing us to contemplate the horrific. Interethnic discrimination, particularly anti-Muslim racism, is also addressed courageously in films such as A Love Like Ours (Yan Paing Htun, 2022) and Our Town (Htun Tauk Moe Thu, Saw Eh Doh Poe, Shin Thandar, 2023), which revisit the tragedies experienced by the Muslim community in Burma.

The struggle for cultural and identity-based resistance is also beautifully illustrated by films such as Black Lady Sings (Mi Ni Ni Aung, 2023), which follows Mon Masein, a 76-year-old dancer, in her quest to preserve her Mon culture, while The Girl with Brass Rings (Sai Naw Kham, 2022) celebrates the traditions of the Padaung, which are threatened by increasing cultural homogenisation.

All these stories reflect a collective resilience deeply rooted in Burmese culture, in which every struggle — whether political, social, ecological or identity-based — becomes a quest for justice and dignity. Here, Burmese cinema does not merely reflect the realities of its country; it acts as a force for transformation, revealing poetry in struggle, beauty in resilience and strength in hope.

Among all these films, Nargis – When Time Stops Breathing (The Maw Naing, Pe Maung Same, 2009), the first Burmese feature-length documentary, occupies a special place. A deeply moving film, it offers a poignant testimony to the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, which struck the Irrawaddy Delta in 2008, and to the dignity of the Burmese people. Pe Maung Same tragically lost his life in August 2024 after being imprisoned, tortured and denied medical care by the military regime, following his involvement in protests opposing the coup. His death is a symbol of the risks faced by Burmese artists, adding another name to the ranks of the martyrs. By dedicating this programme to him, as well as to the filmmakers, producers and artists who, often at the risk of their lives, challenge censorship and repression, FICA pays tribute to them and offers a platform to these powerful voices that transcend their national context to speak to universal concerns: the pursuit of justice, self-affirmation and the strength of solidarity.

Aloÿse de La Faye, Specialist in Burmese cinema

Notes:

1 The question of the use of the terms “Burma” and “Myanmar” remains complex and subject to debate, both internationally and within Burmese society. In 1989, the military junta officially renamed the country “Myanmar” in an attempt to erase the colonial connotations associated with the name “Burma”, which derives from the name of the majority ethnic group, the Bamar. However, this change has never been universally accepted: some opponents, pro-democracy activists and ethnic groups have regarded the term “Myanmar” as having been imposed by an illegitimate regime, while others have adopted it, seeing the change as a step forward. In France, the term “Burma” remains predominantly used in official communications, reflecting a critical stance towards the authority of the junta and signalling implicit support for democratic forces. This choice also reflects a social reality: even in Burma, the use of the two names varies according to political, cultural and linguistic contexts, leaving this symbolic debate open and unresolved.

2 Theravāda Buddhism, centred on the Buddha’s earliest teachings and individual enlightenment, contrasts with Mahāyāna Buddhism, which emphasises universal compassion and the ideal of the bodhisattva. Burma is regarded as a living stronghold of Theravāda Buddhism, with a strong monastic presence and religion occupying a prominent place in everyday life. A significant proportion of income is devoted to religious donations and the upkeep of monasteries, reflecting the spiritual importance of Buddhism within Burmese society.

3 Jane M. Ferguson, Silver Screens and Golden Dreams: A Social History of Burmese Cinema, Honolulu, University of Hawai’i Press, 2024.

4 The People's Defence Forces (PDF) are armed resistance groups created by the National Unity Government (NUG) in Burma following the military coup of 1 February 2021. Formed to oppose the military junta, they bring together civilians, military defectors and activists. These forces have organised around the struggle to restore democracy and frequently cooperate with ethnic armed organisations, which have been fighting for their rights and autonomy for decades. The PDF operate primarily in rural areas and engage in guerrilla warfare against the Burmese military, using rudimentary or improvised weapons.