Hey there film fanatics and freedom fighters! We’ve got some serious news in the world of cinema, and it’s time to whip out the popcorn and mobilize for justice. The International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR) and the European Film Academy are joining forces to shout from the digital rooftops for the release of Myanmar director Shin Daewe. And they aren’t alone in this mission – the International Film Festival Rotterdam and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam have also jumped on the bandwagon, demanding that Myanmar authorities set Shin Daewe free, pronto!
Now, let’s rewind a bit to the moment Shin Daewe’s life took a cinematic twist. It all started when she was taken into custody at a bus station in Yangon on October 15. Why, you may ask? Well, those pesky authorities discovered a filming drone snoozing in her luggage! Talk about a director’s secret weapon, am I right? But hold on to your seats, because it gets even more outrageous. In a closed trial fit for a Hollywood thriller (minus the red carpet glam), Shin Daewe was denied any legal representation and slapped with a life sentence under Myanmar’s counterterrorism laws. Funding and assisting terrorists? Seriously?
In case you haven’t heard, Myanmar has been knee-deep in a repressive military dictatorship nightmare since February 1, 2021. The country’s leaders thought it would be a blast to seize power in a bloody coup and unleash a human rights crackdown that would make horror movies look like fluffy rom-coms. But Shin Daewe, being the true filmmaker that she is, has always had a keen eye for the social and political issues plaguing her homeland. She even lent her talents to the documentary “Burma VJ,” which scored a nomination for a European Film Award back in 2009. And let’s not forget her captivating documentary short “Now I Am 13,” which scooped up the Best Documentary prize at the 2014 Wathann Film Festival and the Silver Award at the Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival. The woman is a force to be reckoned with!
But wait, there’s more! Shin Daewe’s rebellious spirit isn’t a recent fad. Back in her student days, she was no stranger to protests and found herself locked up for a month in 1990 and then a whole year in 1991 for daring to demonstrate. Talk about dedication to a cause, huh?
In an epic display of solidarity, the ICFR penned an open letter making it crystal clear that they stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Shin Daewe and all the courageous souls in Myanmar fighting for their basic human rights and freedom of expression. They’ve issued a rallying cry to film and cultural institutions around the world, urging them to do the same and spread the word by sharing the link to Shin Daewe’s powerful short film “Now I Am 13.”
