This is Myanmar

This is the voiceover script for This is Myanmar, a short film which took 18 months to shoot/produce and brought me to every state and region of Myanmar.

This is Myanmar

A vast land, so full of diversity

Where mountains, oceans, caves and dense cities co-exist.

A culture that people travel to see

Festivals- so bright, colourful and mysterious, the world has never seen.

Celebrated by dozens of peoples, all with the same shared destiny

Rich and poor live on the same streets, tainted red with betel nut spit

A country coming out of decades of isolation, 

Where men wear longyi’s and women put tree bark on their faces.

This is Myanmar

A country with many challenges it seems, and where lasting peace is still a dream

Climate change is like a ticking time bomb

Floods come yearly, but people don’t know how to swim

Technology, as good and new as it may be, might one day leave millions out of work

Many have left, in search of greener pastures, better opportunities and the comforts of modernity

But alas, we never used to shy away from bold challenges, big dreams and even the seemingly impossible, so why should we now?

This is Myanmar

A place, once home to many ancient kingdoms

The youngest population in the region, full of friendly, kind and hospitable people

Churches, temples, mosques and synagogues,

pagodas ancient, old and new, the cities call out to you

Bullock carts, horses, thone banes, taxis and trishaws you might see, all driven by a people so hungry for the progress they want to see.

Farming, fishing and factories, laying the foundation of tomorrow’s industries. 

Oil, rubies, jade, fish, wood and rice we make, so rest assured, there ain't no lack in resources, just how it's shared.

Art, sports and culture can flourish, just like the dreams of you and me.

We might be later than others, but we’ll learn from them and work with them…

The future is uncertain, but our citizens are committed to development on our own terms

And to all who say that we will never make it, we say to them… 

This is Myanmar

This is Myanmar

and Together, WE WILL BE.

Link to full video: https://youtu.be/75-2QzDbNeY