Asian film festival to focus on Burmese films

Nga Ngai
Mizzima News: 8 Septebmer, 2006-

Burmese films will be showcased to Mumbai audiences come October. A Burmese film delegation is poised to take part in the Third Eye-Asian Film Festival organized by the Indian film industry, Bollywood. To be held in Mumbai in October, Burmese films have been chosen as the focus of this year's festival.

The 15-member Burmese delegation including director Kyi Soe Tun of the Myanmar Film Association (MFA) along with directors, producers, actors and actresses are geared up to participate in the annual film festival to be held from October 12 to 19.

Talking to Mizzima News, the director of the Asian Film Foundation, Sudhir Nandgaonkar said Burma being the country in focus in this year's festival eight Burmese films will be screened at the event.

He said, every year since 2002 the festival has focused on a particular Asian country in order to showcase the trends in cinema in the chosen country. Taiwan was chosen the first year followed by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as the third and Mongolia the fourth.

"This year, we are introducing Myanmar [Burma]," said Nandgaonkar.

The festival, which will be mainly attended by Asian countries including Iran, China, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Kazakstan, Russia, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, will screen over 75 Asian films.

While other countries will screen one or two films, Burma will get to screen eight films.

"We [Asian Film Festival] are introducing Myanmar [Burmese] cinema to the Mumbai [India] audience because Hollywood and Bollywood films are screened here but not Asian films," added Nandgaonkar.

The Burmese films to be screened are - San Yay (Upstream), Chit Chin Nge Pyaing, Paysat Thudoh Nalongtha (Heart of Sacrifice), Sat Hta Gan (Hexagon), Moe Kok Set Waing Ko Kyaw Lun Yewh (Beyond the Sky), Kyan Sit Minn (King Kyan Sit), Takhakah Irrawaddy Nyamya (Irrawaddy nights) and Mystery of Snow – with English sub-titles.

The visiting Burmese delegation will include actress Swe Zin Htaik, assistant director Chan Tha Kyi Soe, producer Thar Nyan and actress wife Daw Myint Myint Kyine, producer Than Nyunt, actress Myo Thanda Tun, director San Shwe Maung, director Khin Zaw, producer Khin Maung Soe, cinema hall owner Zaw Min, actor Lwin Moe and wife May Thu, actor, director and producer Min Min Hlaing and wife Khin Sa Bea Oo.

The Burmese film delegation will also attend the Chinese Golden Rooster Hundred Flower Film Festival to be held in Sanya City, Hainan province of China from Nov 10 to 22.