In 2007, Burma became headline news across the globe when peaceful Buddhist monks led a massive rebellion. More than 100,000 people took to the streets protesting the cruel dictatorship that has held the country hostage for more than 40 years. Foreign news crews were banned, the internet was shut down, and Burma was closed to the outside world. Enter the Democratic Voice of Burma, aka the Burma VJs. Compiled from their handheld footage, acclaimed filmmaker Anders Østergaard's BURMA VJ - REPORTING FROM A CLOSED COUNTRY pulls us in as the VJs themselves become the target of the Burmese government. Their tactical leader, codename Joshua, oversees operations from a safe hiding place in Thailand. Via clandestine phone calls, Joshua dispatches his posse of video warriors, who covertly film the abuses in their country, then smuggle their footage across the border. Joshua ships the footage to Norway, where it is broadcast back to Burma and the world via satellite. As events unfold, the Burmese regime is confronted with images of rebellion that the rest of the world is also seeing. *Winner of VPRO Joris Ivens Award and the Movies that Matter Human Rights Award at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Winner World Cinema Editing Award: Documentary, Sundance Film Festival 2009
Presented in association with The Frontline Club, www.frontlineclub.com