Synopsis

‘They Call It Myanmar: Lifting the Curtain’ – The story of Burma, told with stunning footage shot clandestinely over a 3-year period by filmmaker Robert H. Lieberman as he worked for the US Embassy. It provides an astonishing and intimate look inside the 2nd most isolated country on the planet, lifting the curtain on the everyday life of the people in this land that has been held hostage by a brutal and superstitious military regime for 48 years. A revealing interview with Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Su Kyi conducted just after her most recent release from house arrest is interwoven with extensive interviews and interactions with Burmese people from all around this wildly diverse nation. The film, culled from over 120 hours of striking images, is an impressionistic journey that leads us across the vastness of Burma. It traces the history of Burma from its beginnings in the ancient city of Bagan, through colonial times, recent uprisings, the devastating Cyclone Nargis that killed 150,000 people, and up to the present day. During Lieberman’s time in Burma he shot video constantly, even though it was forbidden and risky for him to do so. And now this rare footage forms an unexpected and expressive portrait of a place they call Myanmar. “The result is eye-opening and insightful.” – New York Times. Best Documentary: River Film Festival 2012 & One World International Documentary Film Festival 2012. Official Selections 2012: Festival des Libertés Brussels, International Vera Film Festival Finland, Pacific Rim Film Festival Santa Cruz & Cambodia International Film Festival. Official Selections 2011: Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival & International Human Rights Film Festival Vienna.