Freedom of individual and artistic expression, a pillar of Democracy,
is at the heart of the approach of the MEMORY! Festival
and its program, the Myanmar Script Fund.
Today, we strongly support the commitment of all Burmese,
artists and not, to this cause.
About
MEMORY! Festival has established a base in a country, Myanmar, with a rich cinema history dating all the way back to the 1920s. Continuing the tradition of the very few heritage film festivals in existence, MEMORY! aims to bring to the Myanmar public the kinds of films that were barely accessible for several decades in this country. Audiences will experience the rich histories of world and local film, and see Cinema as both a popular and an elevating artform that reaches across eras and nations. Though perhaps differently to each of us, Cinema speaks to all. Movies are journeys through time, space, and history, they are windows onto various cultures, traditions, societies, and religions.
The festival develops several programs:
The Myanmar Script Fund, an annual scriptwriting workshop competition, is MEMORY! Festival’s commitment to the next generation of Myanmar filmmakers.
As well Journalism & Culture is a program for the next generation of Myanmar journalists concerned by Culture.
The Myanmar 100, a long-term project that aims to recover and restore works of national significance and to establish a national film and media archive.
MEMORY! Festival is developed by the MEMORY! Cinema Association, an international non-governmental organization, dedicated to the cinema and cultural memory.
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Isabelle Huppert at Rosewood Yangon (above)
© Christine Tamalet
Program & Guests
In 2019, MEMORY! has explored the theme “Life together”, an extremely exciting theme in a country as diverse as Myanmar. Over twenty classics and recent works have been shown. Alongside this main theme, the edition also included a tribute to Agnes Varda (France) and Lino Brocka (Philippines) as well a carte blanche to 3-ACT, the new Myanmar cinema magazine.
As every year, the festival taken place in the oldest cinema in Myanmar, the Waziya, (1920) and an open air cinema was organised in the popular venue of Mahahabandoola Park.
During the past editions, our distinguished Patrons Catherine Deneuve (France) and Grace Swe Zin Htaik (Myanmar) are joined by celebrated worldwide actresses Isabelle Huppert and Michelle Yeoh.
And also awarded directors Tsai Ming-liang – and his leading actor Lee Kang Sheng – Michel Hazanavicius, Olivier Assayas, Midi Z, Phan Dang Di & Tran Anh Hung. Also joined by famous actresses Tran Nu Yen-Khe, Clothilde Coureau & Cheng Pei Pei and female directors Pascale Ferran, Tan Pin Pin, Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec & Darlene Johnson. Not to forget the directors Davy Chou, Régis Wargnier, Eddie Cahyono, Claude Mourieras among many others…
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Conferences
MEMORY! Festival presents each year an international conference. It is on a topic closely related to the main theme of the festival. A first of its kind in Myanmar, this interdisciplinary conference aims to explore the idea of film censorship in a broad cultural context, inviting connections between various forms of censorship and across historical circumstances. We open the floor to Myanmar-based and international presenters to join us in addressing this topic from a variety of perspectives including case studies, theoretical investigations, problem-oriented arguments, and comparative analyses.
2017 theme: THE CENSORSHIP
Opening keynote: H.E Kristian Schmidt . European Union Ambassador to Myanmar
Speakers:
U Thein Naing . Director of Myanmar Censorship Board (MMPDB)
Dr. Howard Besser . Professor of Cinema Studies at New York University
Ma Shin Daewe . Independent woman filmmaker, directing mentor at Yangon Film School
Manshur Zikri . Indonesian researcher, critic and curator
Patrick F. Campos . Independent film critic and assistant professor at the University of the Philippines
Dr. Saw Tiong Guan . Senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Malaya.
Tan Pin Pin . Singaporean female director
Thaiddhi . Burmese filmmaker and producer. Co-founder of Wathann Film Festival
Closing remarks: Dr. Paul D. Grant . Cinema teacher at the University of San Carlos, Philippines.
Chair: Theo Stojanov . PhD Candidat in Film & Moving Image Studies, Concordia University, Canada.
2018 theme: PRESS & DEMOCRACY ON SILVER SCREEN
Opening keynote: H.E Christian Lechervy . France Ambassador to Myanmar
Speakers:
Tim Aye Hardy . Founder of myME (Myanmar Mobile Education Project)
Dr Howard Besser . Professor of Cinema Studies at New York University
Suresh Chabria . Professor of Film Appreciation, former director of the National Film Archive of India
Kiri Dalena . Visual artist, filmmaker and Filipino activist
Eko Maryadi . Indonesia journalist & Former President of Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA)
Sonny Swe . CEO and co-founder of Myanmar magazine Frontier
Ma Thida . Writer & human rights Myanmar activist. Board member of PEN International
Roland B. Tolentino . Faculty member of University of the Philippines Film Institute
Closing remarks: Dr. Paul D. Grant . Cinema teacher at the University of San Carlos, Philippines.
Chair: Theo Stojanov . PhD Candidat in Film & Moving Image Studies, Concordia University, Canada.
The conferences are organized by Dr. Paul Douglas Grant & Theo Stojanov
Myanmar Script Fund
Myanmar Script Fund is a program for emerging local filmmakers and producers developing their first or second full-length feature film, fiction only. MSF is intended to help connect promising Burmese filmmakers with international audiences.
The program has two components:
MSF Original is reserved for new MSF projects and applicants. Each year, six new projects are selected and benefit from tailored coaching sessions during five days. At the end of the session, they are part of a pitching competition in front of an international jury.
MSF Advanced is dedicated to MSF alumni with the presentation of a previously selected project. 6 projects are selected among the most mature. This part of MSF offers one-to-one coaching sessions with tutors before meetings with worldwide film industry decision-makers (festivals, film funds, markets…). More information here.
Since January 2021, MSF is also:
MSF Rendezvous. The objective of this Rendezvous is to respond to needs identified with professionals who regularly contribute to MSF by reinforcing the follow-up of candidates outside of MSF sessions in December. MSF Rendezvous was therefore conceived as a training device through regular online meetings (conferences & customized sessions) throughout the year 2021. More information here.
Since its inception, the Myanmar Script Fund program has been faithfully supported by the Union Ministry of Information of Myanmar, French Embassy, Institut français, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, European Union Delegation in Myanmar, CNC, Arte, US Embassy, Open Doors (Locarno Festival) and Forever Group.
Journalism & Culture Program
We strongly believe that culture is not only entertainment but also a key pillar for all democracies. We believe also that the press’ freedom is a key condition to develop the democracy in Myanmar. Our common objective is to involve Myanmar emerging journalists to cover such a culture event which is also a political & social event. Associated with the Myanmar Journalism Institute, we have developed the Journalism & Culture program.
The participants to the curriculum are around 20 students from Myanmar Journalism Institute. MJI’s professors start the dedicated program at the beginning of October. The workshop starts at the end of October, supervised in 2017 and 2018 by professional journalists Carol Isoux & Jérôme Boruszewski and, in 2019, by Laure Siegel & Thierry Falise.
The workshop is shared in two parts: theorical sessions (festival’s opening) and practice with daily coverage of MEMORY! Festival & guests. At the end of the workshop, a newspaper in Burmese, the Bioscope News, gathered all the articles. Printed in 3.000 free copies.
The 2nd edition of this program, in 2018, was supported by Parliaments and People Program / University of SOAS (London). The 3rd edition, was proudly supported by the Delegation of the European Union to Myanmar and the French Embassy in Myanmar.
Since the military coup on Feb 1st, 2021, a collective of photo-reporters, alumni of Journalism & Culture Program, have documented the unfolding events since Day 1 at the risk of their own lives and assess the situation on the ground. Their work gave birth to “Documenting the Revolution”.
In 2020, MEMORY! Film Festival through his online MSF Programme
is proudly supported by the following Partners:
Ministry of Information of Myanmar
Embassy of France in Myanmar
Institut français
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
European Union in Myanmar
Embassy of United States of America in Myanmar
Centre National du Cinéma (CNC)
Arte
Open Doors / Locarno Film Festival
May they all be warmly thanked for their fidelity
If you want to become a partner of MEMORY! Film Festival, please send us a message through our contact form
© Stephen Kelly
Myanmar 100
Myanmar 100 Program will take place over a period ending in 2020, for the 100th anniversary of the Myanmar cinema history. The project is developed by MEMORY! Cinema Association, committed to safeguarding worldwide cinema heritage, in partnership with the Cinema Department of Ministry of Information (IPRD-MMPDB) and the support of France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Singapore and Australia. Today, the situation is very critical. Most of the Burmese films are dispersed, damaged or destroyed by time.
The project is comprised of three foundational components:
Restoration
The Lost Film Search and the Restoration of Myanmar Classics program aim to establish a national film collection. Our initial assessment revealed a dire situation: less than twenty titles still have celluloid elements that could permit restoration work. Among them, MYA GA NAING (1934) by Maung Tin Maung restored in 2016, PYO CHIT LIN (1950) by Tin Myint restored in 2017 and MHONE SHWE YI (1970) by Win Oo restored in 2019.
Preservation
The physical preservation of the films and film-related materials such as posters, scripts, photographs, sound recordings, press and advertising materials is a crucial part of cinema history and, even more importantly, of national cultural memory.
Urgent action is required to process existing collections as soon as possible, as physical decay and degradation are already taking their toll. Another part of this task involves searching and collecting these kinds of materials throughout the country and abroad.
Myanmar 100 program aims to bring as many additional feature films as possible as well as footages and documentaries in order to contribute to enriching the national collection.
Access
The creation of the National Film Archive of Myanmar is the ultimate purpose of this Project. As a key cultural venue in Yangon and a model in the ASEAN region, the Archive will highlight the rich history of Myanmar cinema, offer diverse programming of Myanmar and foreign films, and educate younger generations. It will house a comprehensive National Film and Media Collection and help inspire future film talent.
Mobile Cinema
MEMORY! Cinema Association joins forces with International Finance Corporation (IFC), part of the World Bank Group, to launch the MEMORY! Mobile Cinema Program within Lighting Myanmar Project Campaign, showcasing Myanmar national film treasure, MYA GA NAING (1934) by Maung Tin Maung, in remote villages of Myanmar.
MEMORY! Mobile Cinema Program aims to bring MYA GA NAING, part of national collective memory, to the people leaving in rural areas, where the access to electricity and culture is very limited or non-existent.
MEMORY! Mobile Cinema starts in December 2018 and will travel during four months in 2019 in Irrawaddy, Bago & Magway Regions and also Mon State.
During this tour, more than 60 screenings will be organized.
The First Row will be held in 16 small villages of the Irrawaddy Region from December 12, 2018 to January 11, 2019. During this tour, the townships concerned are Ingapu, Henzada, Pantanaw, Maubin & Mawgyun.
The Second Row will be held in 16 small villages in Bago Region from January 18 to February 15, 2019. The townships concerned are Paukkhaung & Pyay.
The Third Row will be held in Mon State & Irrawaddy Region (15 villages) from February 17 to March 17, 2019.
The Four Row will be held in 16 villages in Magway & Irrawaddy Region from March 20 to May 3, 2019.
Cinema Street
In 2019, Memory! Festival takes to the street with the Cinema Street project.
Located between 33rd and 34th streets of Yangon, just behind the Waziya Cinema, heart of the festival, the alleyway chosen was well known as a venue for public outdoor screenings, place of several film production companies and even a filming location (for instance One Father, One Son (1975) by Maung Nandar). Unfortunately, in recent decades garbage has been accumulating in the middle of the alleyway, making the place insalubrious and almost inaccessible because of the amount of trash. Little by little all community life has disappeared…
The project has two components: first is the restoration of public hygiene and sanitation in the street. It includes garbage cleaning and sewer rehabilitation, but also training in maintenance and community’s education of good environmental reflexes. The second is a tribute to the Myanmar cinema’s history. The audience can indeed get to experience an open air street art gallery of outstanding murals on the Golden Age of the Myanmar film industry and attend to public open-air screenings of Myanmar Classics.
This project is the result of a long process carried out by the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC) for the cleaning and Ygnwalls, a collective of artists, for the furnishing and the decoration. The project was funded by the Embassy of France in Myanmar.
The sustainability of this programme is made possible by the mobilisation of the inhabitants, particularly women, united in a militant collective.
When trash alleys turn into art streets in downtown Yangon and where the residents and the communities regain their memory, their dignity and their ability to live together…
Upcoming screenings on the Cinema Street (5pm)
March 7, 2020: A Pay Ta Khu Thar Ta Khu (aka One Father, One Son) by by Maung Nandar (1975)
March 21, 2020: College Jin
April 4, 2020: Thingyan Moe (aka Rain in the Water Festival) by Maung Tin Oo (1985)
Screenings are suspended due to the sanitary lockdown.