After decades, Burma finally holds its first presidential election. Many Burmese living abroad believe that prosperity will soon arrive. Xing-Hong, an immigrant labourer in Taiwan, is able to save enough money to return home. His return is bitter sweet, as he is carrying the remains of a friend that died in a work related accident.
When Xing-Hong arrives home, he finds that most of the young people want to work abroad, but Xing-Hong has always wanted to stay in his hometown to do business. He begins asking around for possible business opportunities. Through the protagonist’s eyes, we witness the true face of Burma and the angst of its youngsters.
First time director Midi Z films the milieu he knows best: like his protagonist, he is an ethnic Chinese who moved from Burma to Taiwan when at the age of sixteen to study Film Directing and graduated with his first short movie, “Paloma Blanca”, in 2006.
In 2009, he was selected as one of the most prominent directors by Taipei Golden Horse Film Academy. Produced by Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Midi Z made a short film called “Hua-Xing Incident”. Return To Burma is his first feature film.
Return To Burma is the first film ever shot in Burma to be presented in the international film festivals.
While preserving an ultra-realistic documentary feel, (Return To Burma) is also inspired by classic Taiwanese new wave principles: Midi Z uses a largely still camera, with beautifully framed long takes and sequence shots that slowly reveal, with precise intensity, the essential reality of a part of rural Burma at a critical moment of its history – Shelly Kraicer, Vancouver International Film Festival.
Out on DVD November 12th.
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