Myanmar Diaries documents life in the country after the violent military coup of February 2021. Using a collage of forms and genres, from harrowing smartphone footage to haunting ghost stories, the anonymous Myanmar Film Collective combines short films and powerful investigative journalism into a stirring and visceral testimony to the power of cinema as collective action. 

The camera is a weapon often used by both sides in any political struggle – and so it is here. Scenes of citizens being forcefully removed are juxtaposed with struggles of resistance in everyday life, and we’re asked to question the visibility of a camera lens in its presence and in its absence. For oppressive regimes to succeed, they must conduct their crimes unseen. The Myanmar Film Collective understands this, bravely laying bare the horrifying levels of violence, injustice and murder in the country. The refrain of ‘Do you hear?’ in the film’s closing moments directly confronts us, the global community – and asks us to do more.

The preview will be followed by a Q&A with a filmmaker from The Myanmar Film Collective, hosted by ICA Film Programme Manager Nicolas Raffin.