In Burma, the film heritage is disappearing

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The Film Archives in Yangon. Save Myanmar Movie

If Burma has been known for its prolific film production since 1920, many classics of the country have been damaged, for lack of a restoration program.

From the Burmese National Archives to a laboratory in Italy to the big screen in the heart of a park in the city of Yangon: this is the path traveled by the oldest Burmese film still in existence. Mya Ga Naing , the Emerald Jungle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site this year, was screened at the Memory! Saturday, November 10, in front of dozens of Burmese.

Filmed in 1934, this film, halfway between the action film and the romance, which takes place in the Burmese jungle, " comes back from far away " recalls Séverine Waermere, at the head of the organization of the festival, who restored this Burmese cinema classic: " the laboratory tore out its hair ... the second reel was almost black! Miraculously, we found one in Germany .

When the French team of the Festival arrived for the first time in Burma in 2014, the Minister of Information at the time asked them a question: " What are you going to show as Burmese films ? ". " They were told : let us see what you have, " says Séverine Waermere. The report is catastrophic: there are only twelve Burmese black and white films in the country's archives, and no film heritage restoration program exists.

Heat and humidity in the Burmese archives

However, since 1920, Burma has produced more than fifty films a year: the golden age of Burmese cinema took place between the 1950s and 1970s with nearly 100 original films made each year. " So we lost 90 % of this heritage, " says Maung Okkar, in his office where accumulate old cameras and reels. This Burmese son and grandson of directors, launched in 2017 a local association to try to save the film heritage of the country, Save Myanmar Film .

The challenges are many: " lack of knowledge on the preservation of heritage, professional ... There is no real archivist in Burma. And then the weather in Burma is very bad for the talk of movies, because of the heat and humidity, "says Maung Okkar.

The Film Archives in Yangon. Save Myanmar Movie

The director has repeatedly asked the Ministry of Information to renovate the country's archives, located just a few meters from his office, without success. A building on two floors, where the reels are stored on wooden shelves. " Look at this cooling system ... it's been ten years since it stopped working ", he shows us. The heat in the rooms is striking: " Normally, it should be less than 4 ° C. But here, the air conditioning is at 20 ° C, " says Maung Okkar, before recognizing, in an embarrassed laughter, that it is lit" only during office hours ".

No restoration program

In addition to the poor archival conditions at the National Archives, Burmese film heritage also suffers from the lack of a government restoration program. " What we do is the authorities should do it. But at home, nobody knows anything about film preservation , " accuses Maung Okkar.

" The restoration of Mya Ga Naing was a bit of an emotional shock, visual and memory, " wants Séverine Waermere: " I think they understood that heritage was in danger and something must be done ." According to the organizer of the festival, there should now be " a comprehensive program of research of works scattered throughout the country, at home, reconstruction of the national collection, digitization and restoration of major works. "

Contacted, the Ministry of Information recalls that in early 2018 " cooperation was established with UNESCO and Save Myanmar Film to train the staff especially the preservation of films " and that " arrangements have been made to digitize the Burmese classics before the celebration of the 100th anniversary of cinema in the country ", in 2020 .

Maung Okkar, of Save Myanmar Film, has received many negative responses from the authorities to his proposals, for lack of budget. " I recently visited the Archives of Japan for example. Everywhere, the government is the main supporter of a National Archive. Except in Burma, " regrets the director.

The Film Archives in Yangon. Save Myanmar Movie