Kayan Beauties hit local cinemas in Yangon, Mandalay

Kayan Beauties hit local cinemas in Yangon, Mandalay

Published on Sunday, 08 September 2013 17:31

A film on Myanmar's ethnic Kayan people, whose women are famous for their brass neck coils, is now on screen in local cinemas in Yangon and Mandalay starting on September 6.

The film is centered on the journey of three Kayan women from a rural village in Kayah State as they try to find a Kayan girl who was kidnapped by human traffickers in Taunggyi.

Film director Aung Ko Latt said he filmed the Kayan Beauties to raise public awareness of the Kayan race, who are often incorrectly called 'Padaung' race by the Thais, and portray their unique culture.

"I want to show to the world that they [the Kayan tribe] are originally from Myanmar, not from any other country," Latt says, adding "My second purpose is to show that the Myanmar film industry has the capacity to create top-quality movies worthy of screening overseas."

Since 2006, Aung Ko Latt and scriptwriter Hector Carosso visited the Kayan tribes several times to collect data for the film.

Overall filming, which lasted about three months in 2008, took the crew to remote yet beautiful locales like Pekon, Monhbye, Panpat, Lawbarkho and Taunggyi in Kayah State and Shan State.

The film stars Nwe Ni Win, Khin Mar Win, and Hnin Mai as the lead actresses and Francis and Rose Mary as co-actors. The four lead actresses in the Kayan Beauties underwent rigorous training in acting for eight months after they were selected.

While the director was facing difficulties to do post-production work for the film in Bangkok, he was finally able to have it completed at the start of 2012 with financial support from sponsors.

The film won the Special Jury Award and received two nominations for Best Director of Photography and Best Supporting Actress at the Asean International Film Festival and Awards in March this year.

It is currently on screen at Thamada, Thwin, Mingalar and Top Royal cinemas and Junction Cineplex in Yangon and Win Light and Myoma cinemas in Mandalay.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/kayan-beauties-hit-local-cinemas-in-yangon-mandalay/