Film festival to be held on human rights issues in Myanmar

12 January 2020
Film festival to be held on human rights issues in Myanmar
Freedom Film Fest Myanmar director Kye Yi Linn Sit speaks to media during Freedom Film Fest Launching Ceremony in Yangon on January 10. Photo: Freedom Film Festival Myanmar/Facebook

The international film event entitled ‘Freedom Film Fest Myanmar’ will be held in Myanmar for the first time this coming July.

This international film festival is held annually in different countries to promote and uplift human rights following the theme of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

A press conference for the festival was held at the Yangon Book Plaza on January 10 and its director Kye Yi Lin Sitt explained the programme.

“Our country has problems in diversity. And also we have problems with deprivation of peace. And we have never had such a film festival concerned with peace in our country. So we have a motto focused on peace in this film festival. We want films featuring and portraying peace issues. We see these films will provide a change of mindset in our people and these films will help people adopt a softer, kinder heart. This is the objective of our film artists. This film festival will give priority to documentary films,” she said.

Freedom Film Fest Myanmar director Kye Yi Linn Sit said that this event would be held in July in Yangon with the motto of ‘It is time for peace and justice’.

The organizers of the Freedom Film Fest Myanmar are calling on film makers and producers to supply documentary films and short films which have as their theme the Myanmar peace process, justice, freedom from discrimination, diversity and freedom of expression.

Film makers who have made such documentary and short films and have financial constraints in making more of these films may reportedly apply for a stipend from the organizers and three prizes will be awarded in three categories namely Art of Peace, Art of Freedom, Art of Creative, selecting the winners from the contestants with a prize of 1.5 million kyats each.

Film Fest Director Kye Yi Linn Sit said, “Our Freedom Film Fests are also held in Malaysia and Singapore. We will submit award winning films to other international film festivals. So these contesting documentary and short films will be sent to Malaysia and Singapore. So they have a lot of opportunities in the future too.”

This Film Fest is jointly organized by KOMAS Freedom Film Network from Malaysia and Change Myanmar from Myanmar which is producing documentary films on social issues. They will also reportedly participate in mobile film festival movements.