Appendix 3 - English Language Films about Myanmar (Burma)

Summary

The following is a selection of English language films made about Myanmar or set in Myanmar (in whole or in part) that give a flavour of the country, help illustrate how it has been portrayed by film-makers over the years, or comment on contemporary developments. Within two sections, covering full-length feature films and shorter documentaries, these works are listed chronologically by the formal date of production or first release. Several of the more recent feature films were joint ventures, but in those cases only the first listed production credit is cited. For more details on specific films (where available), it is suggested that the online International Movie Database (IMDb) be consulted.Also of interest is Andrew Selth’s “Burma, Hollywood and the Politics of Entertainment”, in Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies, and Edith Mirante’s earlier article “Escapist Entertainment: Hollywood Movies of Burma”, in The Irrawaddy.For a brief discussion of documentary films about Myanmar, see also Selth’s “Burma-Watching on film”, posted on The Interpreter, the blog of the Sydney-based Lowy Institute in 2010.

Although there are a few exceptions, this list does not include feature movies that make only passing references to Myanmar or have scenes set in Myanmar that are not central to the plot, such as The Wind Cannot Read, directed by Ralph Thomas (Rank Organisation, 1958), or the American action movie Stealth, directed by Rob Cohen (Columbia Tristar, 2005). Nor does it include movies made in languages other than English. In addition to those made in Burmese, such as the internationally recognized Return to Burma (2011) and Golden Kingdom (2015), this category includes a few well-known movies such as Crossing Salween, a Karen language film directed by Brian O’Malley (Irish Film Board, 2010), Rangoon Rowdy, a Telugu language movie directed by Narayana Rao Dasari (Vijaya Madhavi, 1979), and the Hindi language feature Rangoon (Viacom 18, 2017) directed by Vishal Bhardwaj.Also omitted from the list are several Thai language films with Burma-related themes such as Bang Rajan (BEC-TERO Entertainment, 2000) and Suriyothai (American Zoetrope, 2001).

Nor, as a general rule, does the list below include short films made primarily for television, and which are not usually treated as stand-alone documentaries, for example by being released separately on DVD.