In Solidarity with Myanmar – Earthquake Fundraiser Film Program
Join us in solidarity with the people of Myanmar in this screening to raise funds for the country in its darkest hour. We have curated a rich program of films from Myanmar – a total of over 200 minutes of running time and most of them produced post-coup – to offer a glimpse into the lifeworlds on that land and connect you to the heart of ongoing struggles.
Since the coup in 2021, the military regime stepped up its repression on labor movements, religious and ethnic minorities and queer communities, and the civil war led to poverty and environmental destructions. On 28 March 2025, the country was again struck by a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake. Despite the disaster, the military junta has been obstructing relief efforts and continuing to carry out airstrikes. Meanwhile, resistance to the military regime has not stopped, and local communities are mobilizing decentralized, grassroots aid efforts that bypass state structures - thus this event.
Beyond the screenings, there will be a conversation in between the films, where artists from Myanmar and a scholar on Myanmar’s civil society will answer your questions and explain how our freedoms are connected. We will also have solidarity zines, artworks and handcrafted items for sale. All funds raised in this event will directly go into grassroot organizations for earthquake relief efforts, providing essential aid to those affected by this double crisis.
Your attendance and contributions will make a tangible difference in the lives of those struggling to survive and resist. Come, watch, learn, and stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar during their darkest hour.
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16:00-17:45
GENDER, QUEER AND FAMILY IN A TIME OF TURMOIL
February 1st
Leila & Momo | 2021 | 12'
Through the portraits of two women filmmakers, one Burmese the other French, who have both witnessed the country in a very different light, this visual documentary explores through a travel diary their reflection toward art, revolution and freedom.
Evening Clouds
Aung Phyoe | 2022 | Myanmar | 18'
Since their factory closed down, San Kyi (18) and her close friend Theint Theint Oo (25) are out of work. San was set up for an arranged marriage by her mother. Since Theint would return to her hometown to work, San decided to run away with her. San gave her gold chain to Theint to make money. Things didn't work out the way San expected when Theint did not return on time.
Three Strangers
Lamin Oo | 2021 | Myanmar | 68'
On the western coastline of Myanmar, a queer couple and their adopted son build a family and navigate the complexities of belonging. Three Strangers is the only film in this program that is shot before the coup, thus providing a contrast with the present.
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18:00 – 19:30
DINNER AND CONVERSATION WITH GUEST SPEAKERS
- Zack (film student from Myanmar),
- JC (Artist from Myanmar),
- Dr. Maaike Matelski (anthropologist on Myanmar civil society)
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19:45 – 21:30
REVOLUTION, RESISTANCE AND GRIEF
A Silent Page
Htoo Lwin Myo | 2025 | Myanmar | 30'
The Son of ex-revolutionary parents from the countryside tries to detach himself from the past while facing present reality with his hereditary mental illness.
Where the River Ends
Htet Aung Lwyn | 2023 | Myanmar | 6'
A visual poem exploring grief and loss through two thematically intertwining journeys.
Myanmar Diaries
Anonymous Filmmakers | 2022 | Myanmar | 70'
Myanmar Diaries is built up of short films by ten young anonymous Burmese filmmakers, combined with emotionally harrowing citizen journalism documenting the junta’s brutality, as well as courageous resistance to it. Moving organically back and forth between documentary and fiction, the film is a seamless whole in which the filmmakers find innovative creative ways to keep their protagonists anonymous.
