Burma VJ

Burma VJ : Reporting from a Closed Country
Foreign film DVDs-Main Level - BUR

Without plans on the Fourth of July, I decided to watch this documentary that I had heard so much about. It turned out to be a poignant film to watch on the fourth of July, as we celebrated our freedom and independence from Great Britain, to watch another people strive to create some form of democracy against a cruel military dictatorship.

Burma has been under strict control of media and expression since the current military junta took control in 1988, crushing an uprising. Since then, gatherings and political expression has been limited, and most citizens can only get their news from official state media. However, a band of rogue journalists have been able to capture footage of a new uprising using small, clandestine digital cameras. Through an underground network of digital and physical tape smugglers, the creators of this documentary were able to piece together enough footage via Democratic Voice of Burma.

In many ways, the documentary plays out like a suspense film. In my opinion, it was more thrilling. The recent movement covered in the film, from 2007, was started by Buddhist monks, who command enough respect to be left alone by the authorities for the most part. Chilling and terrifying, this film made me feel lucky to live in a country with so many freedoms. But it also reminded me that not every world citizen enjoys these freedoms yet.
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