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Burma VJ : reporting from a closed country /

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Filmmaker Anders Østergaard brings us close to the video journalists who deliver the footage. Though risking torture and life in jail, courageous young citizens of Burma live the essence of journalism as they insist on keeping up the flow of news from their closed country. Armed with small handycams...

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Bibliographic Details
Corporate Authors: Magic Hour Films, WG Film (Firm), Kamoli Films, Mediamente (Firm), Oscilloscope Laboratories (Firm)
Other Authors: Lense-Møller, Lise, Østergaard, Anders, 1965-, Krogsgaard, Jan, Malmqvist, Conny
Format: Video DVD
Language:English
Burmese
Language Notes:In English and Burmese, with optional English subtitles.
Published: [New York?] : Oscilloscope Laboratories, 2010.
Subjects:
Democratic Voice of Burma.
Burma > Politics and government > 1988-
Investigative reporting > Burma.
Documentary films.
Nonfiction films.
Feature films.
Democracy > Burma > History.
Pacifism > Religious aspects > Buddhism.
Buddhism and politics > Burma.
Buddhist monks > Political activity > Burma.
Human rights > Burma.
Burma > Armed Forces > Political activity.
Burma > History > 1988-
Description
Summary:Filmmaker Anders Østergaard brings us close to the video journalists who deliver the footage. Though risking torture and life in jail, courageous young citizens of Burma live the essence of journalism as they insist on keeping up the flow of news from their closed country. Armed with small handycams the Burma VJs stop at nothing to make their reportages from the streets of Rangoon. Their material is smuggled out of the country and broadcast back into Burma via satellite and offered as free usage for international media. The whole world has witnessed single event clips made by the VJs, but for the very first time, their individual images have been carefully put together and at once, they tell a much bigger story. The film offers a unique insight into high-risk journalism and dissidence in a police state, while at the same time providing a thorough documentation of the historical and dramatic days of September 2007, when the Buddhist monks started marching.
Item Description:At head of title on screen : Oscilloscope Laboratories, First Hand Films, Magic Hour Films, in association with HBO Documentary Films [and others] ...
Screen title.
Originally produced as a motion picture in Denmark in 2008 as "Burma VJ: Reporter i et lukket land," this videorecording is primarily in English, with segments in Burmese. Translation by Num Aye, and others
Special features include: audio commentary with director Anders Østergaard and film critic John Anderson; "Fighting for freedom," a video interview with exiled Burma VJ "Joshua"; Burmese monks' stories from the uprisings televised by Democratic Voice of Burma (Protest leaders in 2007: U Gaw Si Ta, U Aw Ba Tha; Participants in 1988: Ashin Cando Bhasacara, Ashin Pyinnya Jota) - produced by AsiaWorks Television in Sept. 2008; video message from Richard Gere; "Crossing midnight," a film about refugees on the Thai/Burma border, and an essay by Desmond Tutu.
Videorecording.
Physical Description:1 videodisc (84 min.) : sound, color ; 4 3/4 in.
Format:DVD, widescreen (2.00:1 aspect ratio), NTSC, region 0.
Audience:Not rated.
Awards:Freedom of Expression Award (2009), National Board of Review; World Cinema Documentary Editing Award (2009), Sundance Film Festival; International Human Rights Film Award (2009), Cinema for Peace; Grand Jury Award (2009)Full Frame Documentary Film Festival.
Production Credits:Director of photography, Simon Plum ; editors, Janus Billeskov Jansen, Thomas Papapetros ; composer, Conny C.-A. Malmqvist; DVD development team: producer, Debra McClutchy; additional extras editing, Dan Day; Authoring, Carol Ann Macahlig.