Sundance 2009: "Burma VJ" Review - Written by Mathius Gertz

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Burma VJ
Denmark, 2008, 85min., color
English and Burmese with English subtitles
Genre: Documentary
Director: Anders Ostergaard
Screenwriters: Anders Ostergaard, Jan Krogsgaard
Executive Producer/Producer: Lise Lense-Moller
Coproducers: Fredrik Gertten, Torstein Nyboe
Cinematographer: Simon Plum
Editors: Janus Billeskov Jansen, Thomas Papapetros
Composer: Conny Malmqvist
Sound Editor: Martin Hennel
Contact: Lise Lense-Moller, llm@magichourfilms.dk
Website: www.burmavj.com


Armed with small handy-cams, undercover Video Journalists in Burma keep up the flow of news from their closed country. Going beyond the occasional news clip from Burma, director Anders Ostergaard brings us closer to the VJ’s who deliver the footage. Though risking torture, life in prison, or death, these courageous young people live the essence of journalism as they insist on keeping up the flow of news form their closed country. Their material is smuggled from the streets of Rangoon, out of the country and broadcast back into Burma via satellite and offered as free usage for international media. The whole world has had the opportunity watched single event clips made by the VJ’s, but for the very first time, their individual images have been carefully assembled and now tell a much bigger story.

Burma VJ offers a unique insight into high-risk journalism and dissidence in a police state, while at the same time providing a through documentation of the historical and dramatic days of September, 2007, when the Buddhist monks stated marching. A riveting and remarkable film. It should be watched by everyone. When we protest in the United States, we rarely worry about torture and death. These young VJ’s worry about it every day. Just to be able to have what we take for granted, democracy and free speech. See it! Five stars.