If you haven’t already heard, the eighth Wathann film festival is coming up this week from Wednesday, September 5, to Monday, September 10. More than 70 films will be showcased at Waziya Cinema and Goethe Institut, including those from international filmmakers. Meanwhile, 11 selected films from local filmmakers will be screened for the competition section, from which three will be chosen for the Best Short Film Award, Best Documentary Film Award and New Vision Award. If you are feeling intimidated by the huge number of options and can’t decide on what to watch, take a look at our guide below and head over to the Wathann film festival where you can watch an entry for only 500 kyats per ticket.
Passage of Life
Based on a heartwarming true story about a Burmese family living in Japan, this film follows the hardships of a mother raising her two sons. Made by a double award-winning Japanese director, it perfectly portrays the challenges faced by an immigrant family. Although made up of a first-time cast, the film depicts the story realistically and has been appraised at film festivals around the world, as well as having won several international awards.
Date: Sep 9 (Sun)
Time: 6 pm – 8 pm
Place: Waziya Cinema
Chit Tal
A “Reflection of Society” film, it was created by one of four woman filmmakers trying to depict the current political and social situation in Myanmar. Built upon a theme centered on the innocence of childhood, Chit Tal takes place in the city of Meiktila, which faces many religious conflicts. Director Kyal Yi Lynn Sit is an advocate for peace and diversity, with her film She awarded the Gender Equality Award at the Human Rights and Human Dignity Film Festival.
Date: Sep 6 (Thu)
Time: 1PM – 3 PM
Place: Goethe-Institut
Date : Sep 8 (Sat)
Time: 10 AM – 12PM
Place: Waziya Cinema
Seeds of Sadness
Ever wanted to learn more about what’s happening outside of Yangon? Seeds of Sadness tells the story of a family whose lives are affected by the ongoing conflicts in Myanmar. Despite a national ceasefire agreement, fighting is ever present in various regions outside of Yangon. By offering a voice to those affected by these wars, this film relays a strong message about peace.
Date: Sep 6 (Thu)
Time: 1 PM – 3 PM
Place: Goethe-Institut
Date: Sep 8 (Sat)
Time: 10 AM – 12 PM
Place: Waziya Cinema
Invisible – Illegal in Europe
Made by German filmmaker Andreas Voigt, the film follows the lives of five people living illegally in Europe. Among them are Zakari, an army officer who fled from Algeria, the transsexual Edita from Ecuador, and Malikha, who wants her daughter to have a better future. Meanwhile, Prince is contained in a Dutch cell, waiting to be sent back to Nigeria, and Oumar has reached the Spanish coast from Ceuta, where he finds the border police waiting for him. This film allows us to experience the lives of those people who are striving for their freedom, but have to submit to an inevitable force.
Date: Sep 7 (Fri)
Time: 6 pm – 8 pm
Place: Waziya Cinema
Dreams on the Road
One of the 11 selected films from the competition, this film tells the story of a female bus driver. Ma Yin Yin Aye is 30 and uneducated, and leads a life that is anything but easy, with her having to handle both the challenges of her work and family life. If you’ve ever wanted to look into the life of a person breaking boundaries in their community, here’s your chance.
Date: Sep 6 (Thu)
Time: 1 PM – 3 PM
Date: Sep 8 (Sat)
Time: 6 PM – 8 PM
Place: Waziya Cinema
Kolyma
Follow Polish director Mucha’s journey on Kolyma, a 2000-kilometer long highway through one of the coldest regions in the world: north-eastern Russia. Home to an incredible, horrifying history of the Soviet prison camps, this frigid landscape harbors a diverse range of people, whose stories Mucha uses to illustrate their daily lives. Screened at the One World Film Festival in Prague back in March, this film is a memoir of the last surviving witnesses to Kolyma’s terrible past.
Date: Sep 9 (Sun)
Time: 6 pm – 8 pm
Place: Goethe Institut
Didn’t find a film to your taste? Visit www.wathannfilmfestival.com for more information about all the films that will be screened.
