10th edition CIFF – 10-14 April 2024

FILMS 2024:  Caribbean Focus | Feature Films | Short Films | Yellow Robin Award Nominees
FILMS 2019: A – E | F – L | M – P | Q – S | T –  Z | Feature Film | Short Film
FILMS 2018: A – E | F – L | M – P | Q – S | T –  Z | Feature Film | Short Film
FILMS 2017: A – E | F – L | M – P | Q – S | T –  Z | Feature Film | Short Film
FILMS 2016: A – E | F – L | M – P | Q – S | T –  Z | Feature Film | Short Film
FILMS 2015: A – E | F – L | M – P | Q – S | T –  Z | Feature Film | Short Film

Burma Storybook (2017 Feature Film)

Petr Lom | Netherlands, Myanmar, Norway | 2017 | Documentary | color | 81 min | Burmese | e.s.

Poet and activist from Myanmar Maung Aung Pwint has spent large swathes of his life in prison. Now the country is free after 50 years of military dictatorship, he reminisces and struggles with painful memories. A poetic, loving documentary about a country reinventing itself.
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Democracy is in its infancy in Myanmar (the former Burma), a country that started licking the wounds of 50 years of military dictatorship in 2011. In this documentary, the Dutch Corinne van Egeraat and her Czech partner Petr Lom portray the country on the basis of poetry, an art form much loved by its inhabitants and centering on famous poet and activist Maung Aung Pwint, who spent large parts of his adult life in prison.
The poet, affected by Parkinson’s disease in his old age, looks forward to being reunited with his son who emigrated to Finland 20 years ago. Captivating landscapes, intimate family scenes and exceptional street shots reveal a country in transition. People prefer not to talk about the past, however Maung Aung Pwint shows how hard that is. “Life makes me forget what I’d like to remember and makes me remember what I’d rather forget.”

Place: CINEMA 5

Date: 6 April 2017

Time: 22:30

Duration: 1:05

Place: CINEMA 3

Date: 7 April 2017

Time: 13:15

Duration: 1:05

Year in
Festival

2017

Director

Petr Lom

Camera

Petr Lom

Country

Netherlands
Myanmar
Norway

Editor

Petr Lom
Dorith Vinken
Stefan Kamp

Language

Burmese

Length

81 min

Music

Biosphere

Producer

Corinne van Egeraat/ZIN Documentaire B.V.

Production Company

ZIN Documentaire B.V.

Sales

ZIN Documentarie B.V.

Scenario

Corinne van Egeraat
Petr Lom

Year of Production

2017

Petr LOM (1968, Czech Republic) produces, directs and edits his own films. He started his career as an academic: he studied Political Philosophy at the University of Harvard. On a Tightrope (2007) was awarded the Grand Prix at the film festival of Chicago. Back to the Square (2012) was the recipient of the Amnesty Award at Planete Doc Film Festival in Warsaw, and was awarded Best Human Rights Doc at Hong Kong Film Festival. Burma Storybook was produced by Corinne van Egeraat, with whom he also made Ana ana (2014). 

 

Filmography

On a Tightrope (2007, doc), You Cannot Hide from Allah (2007, short doc), Letters to the President (2009, doc), Back to the Square (2012, doc), Ana Ana (2014, doc, co-dir), Burma Storybook (2016, doc)