Myanmar to take part in film festivals in Asian countries

Myanmar has designated a motion picture for taking part in film festivals to be held later this year in three Asian countries -- South Korea, China and India, a local weekly reported Tuesday.

Of the festivals, the Gwangjun Film Festival of South Korea will take place in Aug. 26, while the Golden Rooster Hundred Flower Film Festival be in Sanya city of China's Hainan province in November and the international Film Festival in India's Toha.

The Myanmar film, selected to be screened in these film festivals, is "Secret Mist" which was shot at a cost of 160,000 US dollars and the film had been presented at similar film festivals held in Singapore and South Africa, the state-operated Myanmar Motion Picture Enterprise was quoted by the Voice as saying.

To expand their foreign film markets, film producers have been working to add English sub-titles with the Myanmar films, it said.

Meanwhile, as part of its bid to penetrate the international film industry market, Myanmar introduced a movie featuring ancient king era to Malaysian audiences last year.

The movie, Kyansittmin, based on the life of the Bagan era monarch King Kyansittha, who reigned from 1084 to 1113, was shot by the Everest Film Company with Academy winner Lu Minn directing and playing King Kyansittha himself, according to film industry sources.

The movie was shot with technical assistance from Malaysian company PWT Co Ltd at Bagan and other locations including the former royal palace in Mandalay, Myanmar's ancient capital.

The movie has also been screened in Singapore.

To upgrade Myanmar film and help penetrate the international market, Myanmar, in cooperation with Japan, jointly produced a film titled "Thway" (blood) and released in 2003.

Moreover, during the last five years, two Myanmar films entered Chinese film festival, the first, which is "Master of Flowers", was screened in 2001, while the second "The Hearts of the Givers" in September 2004's Yinchuan Film Festival.

To encourage Myanmar's film production and bring up its quality, the government has been presenting domestic academy awards to successful artists annually since 1952, stressing the need to create films that are artistic, educative, informative and entertaining.

Meanwhile, a Myanmar Motion Picture Museum was established in Yangon in November 1998 to display the efforts of pioneers, successful film artists and promoters and innovation in the motion picture history of the country.