Myanmar
In 2011 the Myanmarese government initiated a series of reforms including a relaxation of its harsh censorship on the country's media. While IMS was previously engaged primarily with supporting media to ensure a regular flow of objective and independent information to the people in Myanmar from the outside, the recent developments show signs of positive progress. With new opportunities and challenges for the country's often young journalists, IMS in close partnership with local media, will be looking to support the work of local journalists and the creation of a sustainable media sector to support the country’s emerging democracy.Archive
- Myanmar’s government eases control of the media
- Change is in the air: An assessment of media development challenges and opportunities in Myanmar
- Stop cyber attacks against independent Burmese media
- Burmese video journalists in the running for an Oscar
- Burma documentary hits box office record in UK
- Broad support in Denmark for Burmese VJs
- Support rally for Burma VJs in Copenhagen
- Speech by Thomas Hughes at the sixth Burma Media Conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand, 21-23 February 2009
- Next steps for Burmese media
- Burma film won prize at Sundance Festival
- Two awards to film about Burmese journalists
- Burmese journalists portrayed in new documentary film
Burma film won prize at Sundance Festival
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The film "Burma VJs - reporting from a closed country" by Anders Østergaard won the World Cinema documentary Competition at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival which took place in Utah in January
As filmmakers, documentarists and their like from all over the world gathered in Salt Lake City to participate in the Sundance Film Festival, Denmark and in particular Danish director of the film, Anders Østergaard and his team at MagicHour Film could be proud of the fact that "Burma VJs - reporting from a closed country" won in the category "World Cinema Documentary Competition".
Since the film was world premiered in Copenhagen on 12 November 2008, it has swept the world of documentaries and taken home several prizes. In Denmark it took home the Amnesty Award as well as the Dox:Award for best documentary film 2008 at the Copenhagen Documentary Film Festival CPH:DOX. In December, the film was screened at the Amsterdam Film Festival and took home the main award, the VPRO Joris Ivens Award as well as the Movies That Matter Human Rights Award.
The Sundance Film festival which takes place around Salt Lake City in the state of Utah between 15-25 January is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world as it supports films produced independently of the large film conglomerates in Hollywood.
"Burma VJs - reporting from a closed country" shows the dangerous undertakings by Burmes video journalists - VJs - in bringing live images from the closed country Burma to the world in order to document the civil courage exhibited by the people of Burma in their fight for democracy.
As IMS is supporting the work of media in Burma in various ways, IMS provided insight into the situation for Burmese to the film crew.
IMS has also accepted to care for the handling of the funds raised from support donations to ensure that all donations are devoted to supporting the continued work of VJs in Burma. IMS has also offered to match donations up to 100,000 DKK. Logon to the website www.burmavj.com or click here to go stright to the donation site.
To watch a trailer of the film, please click on the window below:
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