_11/01/2023

“In the darkest times buried underground, spots of lights begin to emerge from the ground”.

This year, May Adadol Ingawanij and 3-ACT Film Collective in Myanmar launch a new collaborative project on film writing and curatorship, funded by the British Council’s Connections Through Culture scheme.

Prof Ingawanij and 3-ACT had previously worked together as part of the first edition of Ecological Futurisms in March 2022, resulting in Lights from the Underground, shown as part of the Solidarity Programmes: Artists Moving Image from Ukraine and Myanmar.

Lights from the Underground brought together for the first time a unique programme of media arts and experimental films by a dynamic generation of young artists in Myanmar. Drawing on research by artist and co-founder of 3-ACT Moe Myat May Zarchi, the programme presented at Ecological Futurisms, collected eight moving image works from Burmese new media artists and filmmakers, many of whom joined the screening to introduce their works and be in conversation with May Adadol Ingawanij. The programme provided a unique insight into rich and resilient artistic communities. As Moe Myat May Zarchi has stated, “although there has been a firm practice of artists experimenting with video art in Myanmar since the 2000s, there has only been a few filmmakers exploring film as an art form.” 

We are presenting the video of the conversation with Lights From the Underground artists and curator including Moe Myat May Zarchi together with Thaiddhi, Thu Thu Shien and Lin Htet Aung.

The new collaborative project between 3-ACT and Prof Ingawanij, Cinema in Transition, includes an online workshop series and mentorship of emerging Burmese and Southeast Asian film writers and curators. See 3-ACT’s instagram for the open call.