Synopsis

U Yaw Htung is one of the refugees who fled their homes and because of Kachin and Myanmar Military civil war. No one dare not go back home, battlefield. U Yaw Htung must go back to his village to get the cows to pay for his sons’ school fees. And he must pass through Nam Sam Yang village. It is the nearest place where both armies has set their camps and they both has sounded the area with their land mines. He has another meaningful reason for going back home.

Director

• 

  Su Su Hlaing
  

  Love and Other Matters (2015)
  The Ordinary Day (2013)

  When I was a young journalist, I have a very close friend. He is Kachin and I am Myanmar. Although we are like own brother and sister, we become disunited whenever we talked about civil war, battles and ethnic affairs. In 2011, June the civil war between Kachin and Myanmar military became intense again. My friend served in his ethnic armed force and we were out of contact. When I went to Kachin State in 2015, I meet with my friend again. We are just normal acquaintance. It touched me. I also meet many refuges and friendly Kachin people. I was so keen to make a film about the relationship between two ethnic groups after talking with Kachin people. I found my right Kachin protagonist. He is quite flexible and not extreme like my friend. We do believe in peace and reconciliation. During filmmaking, my protagonist and I had to pass many armies and meet with soldiers from both sides. Myanmar army did not allow me to pass through and Ethnic army did not trust me. I also have been heard some bad news in that area. Honestly, I was afraid and almost give up making film. However, my protagonist make me to be safe and let me know his strong hope.

Review

The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) under the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) has been fighting the Myanmar government's army to gain equal rights and full autonomy for the Kachin people. This civil war was renewed in 2011 when the Kachin people were obliged to move to an IDP camp controlled by the Burmese army or even to other countries. Now, Kachin has been left with abandoned cattle and countless landmines set by both sides. This documentary begins with subtitles informing the viewer about the conflict between the KIO and the government's army, along with the story of U Yaw Htung who was a refugee but is on his way back home across the battlefield from the camp, trying to bring back the cows needed for his son’s school tuition. The film simply focuses on his journey without adding other explanations - neither subtitles nor voiceovers. During this journey, we see the soldiers from both sides, the danger of the landmines, the deserted villages and a humanistic view of the tragedy of war. “People say that they want peace, but not as much as we do,” says U Yaw Htung. The horror of war is an everyday, real experience for him, and his wish for peace is desperate. [Hwang Miyojo]

Credits

• Director, Producer, Cinematographer  Su Su Hlaing
• Editor  Sai NyiNyi
• Music  Sani Naw Lawn
• Sound  Slyne Mon

Contribution & World Sales

• Contribution & World Sales  Su Su Hlaing
• E-Mail  vio.su1827@gmail.com