JAPAN – The Spring Film Festival held in Japan in May raised more than 200 million kyats, announced the Organizing Committee.
The Myanmar Spring Film Festival Japan was held for the first time in May to fundraise for the resistant forces against the military dictatorship. Seven revolutionary films were screened in seven cities of Japan: Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Gunma, Okinawa, and Hokkaido, from May 6 to 28 and reportedly received overwhelming support from the revolutionary people in Japan.
The seven films There Was, Our Turn, Immortal Rose, Urban Guerilla (UG), The Remembrance, Return of Pho Maung, and Sulub (The Prize) were screened during the film festivals and the directors and actors reportedly met and greeted the fans through online events.
It was also stated that food and beverage, memorabilia from some movies and raffle tickets were sold and some auctions were held at the Spring Film Festival. Direct donation collections were also done during the show, and thus the total fund of 10,390,466 Yen (more than 200 million Myanmar kyats) was raised. The funds would be reportedly distributed to the respective filmmakers and, through that, to the revolutionary organizations and areas needing assistance.
“I think the majority of people who see this film festival could relate (the scenes and plots) to the revolution. The lives, families, houses, and properties lost in the revoultion. We have seen and felt sorry for the realities of the lives of the displaced persons and citizens in war torn areas through brocasted news media and the people around us,” said a Burmese resident of Japan who attended the Spring Film Festival.
One of the organizers of the Spring Film Festival said, “The fact that our Spring Revolution has not weakened for more than 2 years is due to the strength of each and every person. This Spring Film Festival has again proved the spirit of Burmese in Japan despite the propagandas saying that the revoultion is in a static and cool down phase. Our Spring victory is only a hand away. This film festival allowed us to experience the life of our comrades for a while by watching the movies and feel motivated.”