Cinema of Burma | |
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No. of screens | 124 (2009) [1] |
• Per capita | 0.3 per 100,000 (2009) [1] |
Produced feature films (2009) [2] | |
Fictional | 27 |
Animated | - |
Documentary | - |
Cinema of Myanmar |
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List of Burmese films |
Actors |
Directors |
MMPA Award winners |
Part of a series on the |
Culture of Myanmar |
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People |
The cinema of Burma has a long history dating back to the 1910s. The person who created the first silent film was Ohn Maung (Burma's first producer and director). [3]
Burma's first film was a recording of the funeral of Tun Shein - a leading politician of the 1910s, who campaigned for Burmese independence in London. It was captured with a second-hand camera by Ohn Maung and was screened at the Royal Cinema, near Scott Market (now Bogyoke Market), which belonged to a Mr Achar, a friend of Ohn Maung. Despite its documentary nature, the Burmese public was very proud of the film, which opened with the notice "Please accept our apologies for the poor quality of the film".
Ohn Maung then founded The Burma Film Company to produce and direct more films. He hired Nyi Pu (Burma's first actor) to shoot the first Burmese silent film Myitta Ne Thuya ( Love and Liquor ) which proved a major success, despite its poor quality due to a fixed camera position and inadequate film accessories. The film opened with the title "Burma Film Presents: Love and Liquor" but there were no credits or mention of the cast. It was based on a story by P Moe Nin about how gambling and alcohol destroyed a man's life. [4] The day the film premiered, 13 October 1920, is commemorated annually as the Myanmar Movie Day.
Fox of America asked for Burmese nature study scenes and bought them from Ohn Maung. He also acquired more advanced film accessories and camera from the Kodak Company.
During the 1920s and 1930s, many Burmese-owned film companies (such as A1, New Burma, British Burma, The Imperial, Bandula and Yan Gyi Aung) made and produced several films. Some of the famous directors of this era were Nyi Pu, Sunny, Tote Kyi, and Tin Pe. [5]
The first Burmese sound film was produced in 1932 in Bombay, India with the title Ngwe Pay Lo Ma Ya (Money Can't Buy It) and directed by Tote Kyi. Films dealing with social issues and political themes became popular in the 1930s. Parrot Film Company produced films that addressed social issues such as gambling and police corruption, although the films were censored by the British colonial government. There were also films that were banned like Do Daung Lan (Our Peacock Flag) in 1936 and Aung Thabyay (The Triumphant Jambul) in 1937. The political film Boycott was directed by the student leader Ko Nu in 1937 and starred other student leaders such as Aung San and Htun Ohn. The censors allowed this film to be shown.
Many of the films from this era no longer exist due to the lack of adequate preservation.
After World War II, Burmese cinema continued to address political themes. Many of the films produced in the early Cold War era had a strong propaganda element to them. The film Palè Myetyay (Tear of Pearl), produced in the wake of the Kuomintang invasion of Burma in the 1950s, highlighted the importance of the armed forces or Tatmadaw to the country. Ludu Aung Than (The People Win Through) featured anti-Communist propaganda. The script was written by U Nu who served as Prime Minister during the 1950s. [6]
The famous film maker and author Thukha started producing films during this period. His most famous film is Bawa Thanthaya (The Life Cycle). Burma held its first Academy Awards in 1952. Starting with the Socialist era in 1962, there was strict censorship and control of film scripts.
In the era that followed the political events of 1988, the film industry has been increasingly controlled by the government. After the 1989 move by the government to open up the economy, the movie industry was privatised. The film company Mingala became the most powerful company in the industry. Film stars who had been involved in the political activities of the 1980s and 1990s, such as Aung Lwin and Tun Wai, were banned from appearing in films. The films of some directors such as Win Pe have also been banned. The government issues strict rules on censorship and largely determines who produces films, as well as who gets academy awards. [7]
Over the years, the movie industry has also shifted to producing many lower budget direct-to-video films.
Most of the movies produced nowadays are comedies. [8] In 2008, only 12 films worthy of being considered for an Academy Award were made, although at least 800 VCDs were produced. [9]
Another issue plaguing the Burmese cinema is a steep decline in the number of theatres in which to screen the films. According to a December 2011 survey, the number of theatres nationwide had declined to just 71 from their peak of 244. The survey also found that most were several-decade-old ageing theatres, and that only six "mini-theaters" had been built in 2009–2011. Moreover, the vast majority of the theatres were located in Yangon and Mandalay alone. [10]
Recently Myanmar cinema got visibility in international film festivals. In 2014, The Maw Naing's The Monk was premiered at the 49th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Followed by the participation in main competitions as; Wera Aung's short film The Robe at 21st Busan International Film Festival, Aung Phyoe's Cobalt Blue at 72nd Locarno Film Festival. [11] and Maung Sun's Money Has Four Legs at 74th Locarno Film Festival. [12]
In 2019, some local media reported a revival in the local movie industry, stating that in 2016 there were 12 movies cleared by local censorship and waiting to be screened, 18 in 2017, more than 40 in 2018, and more than 60 in 2019. The success of Now and Ever (2019), starring Zenn Kyi, was also cited as evidence of the revival. [13] According to The Myanmar Times , the most successful Myanmar movie in 2019 was The Only Mom, directed in Myanmar by Thai director Chartchai Ketnust, starring Burmese actress Wutt Hmone Shwe Yi and telling the story of a family that moved into a colonial-era haunted house. [14] The movie also starred a real Burmese Spiritualist medium, U Hla Aye, who died after his part of the shooting was done. [15]
Nu, commonly known as U Nu and also by the honorific name Thakin Nu, was a leading Burmese statesman and nationalist politician. He was the first Prime Minister of Burma under the provisions of the 1947 Constitution of the Union of Burma, from 4 January 1948 to 12 June 1956, again from 28 February 1957 to 28 October 1958, and finally from 4 April 1960 to 2 March 1962.
The literature of Myanmar spans over a millennium. The Burmese language, unlike other Southeast Asian languages, adopted words primarily from Pāli rather than from Sanskrit. In addition, Burmese literature tends to reflect local folklore and culture.
Nyi Pu was a Burmese actor and film director. He was the first film actor in Burmese cinema. His youngest brother was Tin Maung, an accomplished film director.
Love and Liquor is a 1920 Burmese black & white silent film directed by Ohn Maung, written by P Moe Nin and starring Nyi Pu. It was the first Burmese feature film, and the day it premiered, 13 October 1920, is commemorated annually as Myanmar Movie Day.
Kyaw Swe was a Burmese actor and film director.
Thingyan Moe is a 1985 Burmese film directed by Maung Tin Oo and starring Nay Aung, Zin Wine, Khin Than Nu and May Than Nu. The movie follows the life of a musician from 1959 to 1982, with many of the scenes set at traditional Thingyan celebrations.
Kyar Ba Nyein was the Burmese Lethwei fighter and boxer who participated in boxing at the 1952 Summer Olympics and was a pioneer in modernizing Lethwei. Ba Nyein started boxing at the age of 13 and fought in about 50 matches over 20 years until retiring from fighting at the age of 33.
The Myanmar Motion Picture Academy Awards are presented annually to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Burmese Film Industry of Myanmar. The awards ceremony has been held annually since 1952. Each winner is presented with a golden statue and in recent years also a cash prize.
A Linn Yaung is a Burmese actor, model and singer. He was nominated for the Best Actor award at the 2018 Myanmar Academy Award for his performance in the film The Bride.
Alinkar Kyawswa is the highest national honor of recognition of an individual for their artistic skills by the government of Myanmar. From 1949 to 2022, there were about 57 recipients of this award in Myanmar.
Thu Ngal is a 2017 Burmese drama film, directed by Pwint Theingi Zaw starring Yan Aung, Ye Aung, Min Oo, Kyaw Htet Aung, Soe Myat Thuzar, Htun Eaindra Bo and Khine Thin Kyi. The film, produced by Aung Khit Min Film Production premiered Myanmar on June 23, 2017.
"Mya Chay-Gyin" Ma Ngwe Myaing was a Burmese dance performer of the twentieth century, in the tradition of Ma Htwe Lay. She is said to be a mother of the Mandalay's third dramatic arts era.
The Mandalay Thabin refers to the Mandalay-based dramatic arts industry, including yoke thé, anyeint, zat pwe, etc., flourished since the late Konbaung era, during the reigns of King Mindon and King Thibaw.
Bala Pyan was a 20th-century Burmese Aka Weizza who invented the Sandawgyein Aka. She was believed to be the reincarnation of Aung Bala, who was also a dancer.
Tin Tin Nwet was a Burmese actress. She won Best Actress Award in the 1970 Myanmar Motion Picture Academy Awards. She had acted as a leading actress in about 43 Burmese films.
Nwet Nwet Mu was a Burmese actress. She won Best Actress Award in 1974 Myanmar Motion Picture Academy Awards. She was famous from the 1970s until her death.
May Thit was a Burmese actress and singer. She won Best Actress Award for 1960, Best Supporting Actress Award for 1964 and 1976 in Myanmar Motion Picture Academy Awards. She was famous around between 1950s and 1990s.
May Nwet was a Burmese actress and singer. She won the first Best Supporting Actress Award in the history of Burmese Flim Industry. She starred in numerous films and videos from World War II to the video era.
Ma Nyein Thaw Mee is a 2002 Burmese drama film, directed by Naung Htun Lwin and Nyi Nyi Htun Lwin starring Dwe, Moht Moht Myint Aung, Nandar Hlaing, Nay Aung and Cho Pyone.