They Call It Myanmar: Lifting The Curtain

An Unsanctioned Affair: A Peek Into One of Asia's Most Isolated Cultures
One of the things I enjoy most about the documentary film scene is that it can open up worlds that you might not ordinarily have access to. Such is the case with "They Call It Myanmar." Burma is considered one of the most isolated cultures in the modern world. Once one of Asia's most prosperous nations, much of the land and its people have fallen into abject poverty. Filmmaker Robert Lieberman visited the country over a period of three years and shot enough footage (much of it was captured surreptitiously) to give us a rather intimate portrait of its current state. While Lieberman's film does highlight the history and politics of the Burma, it is the observations from ordinary citizens that really resonate. Many people refuse to be filmed or are frightened of it, but a persistent Lieberman is never without his camera. And in casual moments, we really glimpse the heart of the Burmese people. Deprived of educational opportunities and put to work at a young age, many yearn to see...

One nation, under duress
Does a nation have a soul? While there are no definitive answers to such rhetorical questions, I can say that after viewing Robert H. Leiberman's surprisingly intimate documentary, "They Call it Myanmar: Lifting the Curtain", I feel that I have experienced something much akin to a revelatory glimpse into the very soul of that country's beautiful people. I confess that I previously had not given much thought to the nation formerly known as Burma. I was aware that it is a Southeast Asian country with a history of British colonial rule. I knew it had been seized and occupied by the Japanese during WW 2. I knew that it had gained its independence in 1948 and since been plagued by civil wars. But beyond that, the country's contemporary socio-political milieu was off my radar (as it was, I suspect, of most Westerners) until recent news footage of our Secretary of State embracing the most high-profile figure in Burmese politics, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Just as the director was wrapping...

Delicately balanced and nuanced
While the subject of Myanmar is by its nature fraught with opinion, They Call It Myanmar skillfully provides insight into a beautiful and troubled country without being heavy-handed. The viewer is left to make up their own mind, allowing one to fully immerse themselves in the film. Before watching the film, I imagined the people of Myanmar to be beaten down by a long history of oppression by the Junta. I was surprised at the joy of the people of Myanmar in the face of opposition. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of sadness and hardship to go around, but this film doesn't get stuck in the mire of sensationalism. This documentary does exactly what a good documentary should do -- it takes you on a journey through the lens of a camera and lets you, the viewer, make the connections. I was moved, inspired, angered, saddened, and enlightened. In short, a film to remember.

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