‘This Land is our Land’; a documentary film that follows the struggles and experiences of five farmers from across Myanmar has won two domestic prizes at the Human Rights Human Dignity International Film Festival held in Myanmar.
‘This Land is our Land’; a documentary film that follows the struggles and experiences of five farmers from across Myanmar has won two domestic prizes at the Human Rights Human Dignity International Film Festival held in Myanmar.
Ko Lin Sun Oo, accepted the ‘Aung San Suu Kyi Award’ and the ‘Vaclav Harvel Library Award’, both awarded for best domestic documentary film, on behalf of director Ko Sai Kong Kham at the awards ceremony held at Sule Shangi-La hotel, Yangon on June 19.
“They [the farmers] are the real hero, they used their voice and allowed us to share it,” said Ko Lin Sun Oo, “we are never expected to win these prizes, we are just happy that we were able to showcase the voice of our heroes,” he added.
The film featured farmers describing their struggles with land right issues, environmental change and the impact of mining on their villages.
During the film, one farmer from Magway spoke of the recognition he had for the damage and environmental impact that deforestation was having on the climate but said “I do it for my livelihood and my family, we have no choice.”
“These words reflect the life and situation of the country” said Ma Zin Mar Aung, an activist, former political prisoner and jury member for the Vaclav Harvel Library Award.
The ‘Peter Wintonick Award’ for the best student film went to ‘Article 18: The Movie’, a short film described in the festival handbook as documenting the use of Article 18 of the Peaceful Assembly Act to persecute activists and abuse human rights.
The student film category was at the centre of controversy on June 16, following the decision to withdraw a film called ‘The Open Sky’ that the festival programme described as documenting a Muslim woman and her Buddhist friend’s view of the Meiktila crisis.
“We couldn’t screen this film or consider it for the award in fear for the security of the film maker in what is a very sensitive situation” said the festival’s organiser Ko Min Htin Ko KoGyi “we do not want the festival to become a scapegoat of this very sensitive situation,” he added at the closing ceremony.