Movie industry sees a new kind of action

Movie industry sees a new kind of action

By Lwin Mar Htun and Ko Thiha   |   Sunday, 01 September 2013

Action! Angry movie actors and production staff staged a demonstration last week outside Yangon City Hall to protest against the "dictatorial" Myanmar Motion Picture Organization.

Protestors say the Myanmar Motion Pictures Organisation are making draconian decisions. Photo: Aung Htay Hlaing

The scene was set for the face-off when MMPO president U Luu Min ousted a rival, Daw San San Maw, who directed the August 24 demo. But other film industry workers have joined her in condemning the MMPO leadership for being secretive and arbitrary.

"The president and executive of the MMPO act in secret and don't have an open relationship with the industry," said Daw San San Maw, who was president of the Yangon Regional Basic Video Board until her dismissal on August 9.

The drama began when she fired a subordinate, U Ne Win, on instructions from the board members. "The next day, U Ne Win and his accomplices met the MMPO executive board members," said Daw San San Maw. "I'm ready to explain why we fired him and to show the proof, but the executive board members did not contact me. They instructed me to restore U Ne Win, but I did not. That's why U Luu Min fired me." MMPO then tried to blacken her name, she said.

A demonstrator, U Win Ko, owner of Mun Htet Che Movie Production, told The Myanmar Times, "We want people to know about the dictatorship controlling MMPO. We can't accept them as leaders. We want to clean them out."

U Win Ko said the movie production business had suffered since the appointment of the new MMPO president and executive board, and new members should be appointed.

Movie production company owner Jaman said, "We don't want to work under the system of U Luu Min. We need a president with experience who can make the right decisions,.

"Movie distributors are struggling. MMPO should be solving those problems, but they aren't."

"It's a dictatorship, and we don't want that kind of leadership."

Ko Kyaw Kyaw often plays the role of a supporting actor in films and said the MMPO is extending its censorship regulations too discriminatively. He said the rules stipulated to supporting actors like him were not asked of main or lead actors and actresses.

"MMPO ordered us [supporting actors] not to dye our hair or wear trendy clothes. But they don't do anything about kissing or sex scenes where famous actors are concerned. That's why I'm involved in this demonstration."

Movie industry workers from Mon State and Ayeyarwady Region also took part.

A film producer from Mon State, U Zaw Win, accused the MMPO of unfairness in the reselection of the Mon Regional Basic Video Board. "MMPO didn't accept our votes," he said.

MMPO president U Luu Min said the numbers of people involved in the demonstration did not represent the Myanmar movie industry.

"We will have more to say at a later date."

Since March last year, MMPO ceased to be a government office and became a non-governmental organisation whose members were to be chosen by election. The first president, U Zin Wine, handed over to U Luu Min last June for health reasons.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/movie-industry-sees-a-new-kind-of-action/