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Free Malaysia Today
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
Myanmar's century-old cinema legacy flickers amidst dark times
Myanmar's film scene hit a major setback with the arrival of a military junta in 1962 that enforced stringent censorship and gutted the economy during a 50-year reign. (AFP pic) PHNOM PENH : The vibrant spirit of Myanmar's cinemas in 1920 still echoes in Yangon today. In June, as rains flooded Yangon streets, movie theatres premiered 'Mingala Pwe' ('The Wedding') and 'Just a Bazaar Seller, But So Haughty'. Two other titles, 'Two Nights and Three Days' and 'The Boat', are set for release sometime this month. These comedies and romances offer more than just escapism – they are a testament to the resilience of Myanmar's film industry, which continues to adapt and thrive against all odds. 'Myanmar audiences like going to cinemas to watch or spend their leisure time more than in other Southeast Asian countries, despite being in a digital age,' Yangon-based television series director Min Thant Maung Maung told Bernama. 'It may be due to the country having fewer activities or exhibitions for people to enjoy as well. 'The majority of moviegoers are also people from the rural areas, and the only form of content seems to be going to cinemas in those areas,' he added. Min is the son of popular director Zin Yaw Maung Maung and actress May Than Nu. The flickering silver screen continues to bring joy to a country that has endured multiple hardships through its history – natural disasters, military dictatorship, and economic hardship. Cinemas have survived the most challenging periods in Myanmar's complex history, including the British colonial era, the socialism of the 1960s to 1980s, democratic governments, and military regimes. Filmmakers face strict censorship, technological limitations, and financial struggles to produce movies, ranging from love triangles to slapstick comedies and thrilling narratives that captivate loyal audiences. 'After Ne Win's coup in 1962, ticket sales increased by 40% seven years later. The average Burmese person was attending the movies seven times a year,' Australian National University anthropologist Jane Ferguson told Bernama. She noted that when censorship was strict during the socialist era, 2,600 feature-length films were produced. 'Even though they would critique the socialist years as being impoverished, they would still have fond memories of these films. They would remember the handsome actor, the beautiful actress, the problems of the overplaying mother-in-law, and all sorts of love-triangle repetitions you can imagine. The film industry in Myanmar, then Burma, began in 1920, when the first silent black-and-white feature, 'Metta Hnint Thura' ('Love and Liquor'), was released. (Wikipedia pics) 'Those storylines probably fit into the environment then for the local audience,' said Ferguson, who authored 'Silver Screens and Golden Dreams: A Social History of Burmese Cinema', published last year. The film journey in Myanmar, then Burma, began in 1920, when the first silent black-and-white feature film,'Metta Hnint Thura' ('Love and Liquor'), was released. But the country's once-flourishing industry hit a major setback with the military junta in 1962 that enforced stringent censorship and gutted the economy during a 50-year reign. Indeed, Myanmar's strengths – its 135 ethnic groups, cuisine, festivals, beaches, music and films – are often eclipsed by political upheavals and natural calamities. They seldom make international headlines. Cinema remains the hallmark of the country's entertainment, with about 150 movies produced annually on average. Today, about 150 movie theatres have survived the gloom and doom: power outages, censorship, and security issues have not prevented local films from attracting audiences. Despite its milestones and resilience throughout the rough years, however, the industry – boasting a wealth of talented filmmakers and actors – has thus far failed to shine outside its borders. Chief editor of Yangon-based 'Popular Journal', Khing My, said Burmese cinema cannot progress owing to financial constraints and screening restrictions. 'Myanmar's film market is not booming yet. The international community is not interested in Myanmar's film market. This is the reason why Myanmar films cannot penetrate the international market. 'Successive governments have tried to push for subtitles to be shown internationally but have failed.' Meanwhile, Ferguson opined that contemporary Myanmar filmmakers have tremendous creative talents in storytelling that define the country's social and political settings. 'I still firmly believe that filmmakers are making films that are worth watching, and they should get more attention internationally. It's an ethical obligation of international audiences to take an interest in things beyond the places that are economically powerful,' she said.
Sydney Morning Herald
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sixteen years ago, Nam Le's debut won a major literary prize. His follow-up has done it again
More than 16 years after Melbourne-based Nam Le burst onto Australia's literary scene to critical acclaim and a slew of prizes, his second publication has taken out book of the year in the 2025 NSW Literary Awards. Le's hardcover volume 3 6 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem was also the winner of the individual category, Multicultural NSW Award ($30,000), for what judges said was a work of 'poetic brilliance, power and accessibility'. Established in 1979, this year's NSW Premier's Literary Awards were presented at the NSW State Library on Monday night, kicking off the Sydney Writers' Festival. The Vietnamese born writer was no older than a toddler when his parents brought him to Australia as they made their way as refugees on a boat. In 2009, his acclaimed short story collection The Boat went on to win the NSW Premiers Literary Prize's book of the year as well as the American Pushcart Prize, among other notable awards. Since those accolades, Le has ventured into screenwriting, and collaborated on an online graphic adaption of The Boat. 'My writing process is, in a word, slow,' Le told the Herald via a statement. 'I reckon I must have one of the worst words read/written/rewritten-to-published ratios around. A lot of iceberg for so little tip.' In the years in between publications, Le said he had 'done a lot of living, a lot of writing'. He has two young children, and is still working on the long anticipated second work of fiction.
The Age
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Sixteen years ago, Nam Le's debut won a major literary prize. His follow-up has done it again
More than 16 years after Melbourne-based Nam Le burst onto Australia's literary scene to critical acclaim and a slew of prizes, his second publication has taken out book of the year in the 2025 NSW Literary Awards. Le's hardcover volume 3 6 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem was also the winner of the individual category, Multicultural NSW Award ($30,000), for what judges said was a work of 'poetic brilliance, power and accessibility'. Established in 1979, this year's NSW Premier's Literary Awards were presented at the NSW State Library on Monday night, kicking off the Sydney Writers' Festival. The Vietnamese born writer was no older than a toddler when his parents brought him to Australia as they made their way as refugees on a boat. In 2009, his acclaimed short story collection The Boat went on to win the NSW Premiers Literary Prize's book of the year as well as the American Pushcart Prize, among other notable awards. Since those accolades, Le has ventured into screenwriting, and collaborated on an online graphic adaption of The Boat. 'My writing process is, in a word, slow,' Le told the Herald via a statement. 'I reckon I must have one of the worst words read/written/rewritten-to-published ratios around. A lot of iceberg for so little tip.' In the years in between publications, Le said he had 'done a lot of living, a lot of writing'. He has two young children, and is still working on the long anticipated second work of fiction.
The Guardian
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Nam Le wins book of the year at NSW Literary awards for ‘passionate and bold' depiction of Vietnamese diaspora
More than a decade after attracting international acclaim for his debut The Boat, Nam Le has won book of the year at the NSW Literary awards for his follow-up, a book-length poem titled 36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem. Le won the $10,000 top gong as well as the $30,000 NSW multicultural award category, but missed out on the Kenneth Slessor prize for poetry, which went to Lebanese-Palestinian writer Hasib Hourani for another book-length poem, Rock Flight. The $40,000 Christina Stead prize for fiction went to Fiona McFarlane for her collection of crime stories, Highway 13. James Bradley, also a poet as well as novelist and critic, won the $40,000 Douglas Stewart prize for nonfiction for his ode to the ocean, Deep Water. Le, who arrived in Australia as an infant with his Vietnamese refugee parents in the late 1970s, worked as a corporate lawyer before turning to writing full-time. His 2008 debut, The Boat, a collection of short stories, won a slew of literary awards including the UK's Dylan Thomas prize. There was a 16-year gap between The Boat and 36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem, released last year. But speaking to Guardian Australia before he knew he had won, Le said his second book had actually been decades in the making. 'How long had I been thinking about it, taking notes for it, starting collecting various fragments of it? I've basically been writing it my whole life,' he said. 'There are poems in there, lines in the book, which existed in old notebooks of mine from 20, 30 years ago.' Sign up for our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning The judges praised 36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem, which explores family, racism, war, trauma and the Vietnamese diaspora, for its 'poetic brilliance, power and accessibility'. 'This collection is damning, frank, and unwavering in its exploration of diasporic identity and its implications both personal and political. 'It is passionate and bold in its depiction of otherness, trauma and struggle – demanding consideration, care and intellect of its reader – and cerebral in its reception and contemplation.' McFarlane, a fellow former winner of the Dylan Thomas prize, was also recognised on Monday for Highway 13, a collection of stories all linked to the same serial killer. Judges praised McFarlane's 'beautifully poised prose', calling the book 'an exhilarating example of the magical power of story, turning straw into gold'. 'Highway 13 amplifies our understanding of how violence in one corner of the world can ripple globally and across generations. Our experiences of the emotional truths McFarlane exposes make us witnesses too, but not so much to crime – here we are witnesses to humanity itself.' After seven novels and a book of poetry, Bradley, who was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to literature four years ago, received recognition for his first work of nonfiction, Deep Water, which the judges called 'a remarkable combination of great labour and literary skill' that 'tells a story of eternity and rapid change, of vastness and immediacy, and it does so in a masterfully moving way'. Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion With a total prize pool of $360,000, the NSW Literary awards are considered Australia's oldest and richest state-based literary prizes. In the children's books categories, Katrina Nannestad won $30,000 for Silver Linings, her children's novel set in 1950s Australia, while Emma Lord won $30,000 for her apocalyptic young adult novel Anomaly. Wathaurong and Ngarrindjeri writer Glenn Shea won the playwriting category for his play Three Magpies Perched in a Tree, in which a juvenile justice worker tries to tackle Indigenous youth incarceration. The Indigenous writers' prize was won by the Juluwarlu Group Aboriginal Corporation for their graphic novel recounting Yindjibarndi creation stories, When the World Was Soft. Other winners include the film-maker Charles Williams who won the Betty Roland prize for scriptwriting for his script Inside, a prison drama starring Guy Pearce, and Elizabeth Bryer, who won the translation category for her translation of Eduardo Sangarcía's The Trial of Anna Thalberg from Spanish into English. The award for new writing went to Australia's first Indigenous person to complete a PhD in clinical psychology, Dr Tracy Westerman, whose book Jilya examines the ways Australia's mental health system fails First Nations people. The people's choice award went to the journalist Lucia Osborne-Crowley for The Lasting Harm, her account of the trial of the convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell.
