24 March
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi attended the Myanmar Motion Picture Academy Awards event held at the One Entertainment Park, Thuwunna, Thingangyun Township, Yangon yesterday evening.
Prior to the event, movie and music artistes and dance troupes provided entertainment for the audience with songs and dances.
State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi then cordially greeted the veteran motion picture artistes attending the event and then delivered a speech.
May the event attendees, movie enthusiasts observing the event via television broadcast and organizers of the event be happy and well. Last year I attended the event and in the years when I’m unable to attend it, I sent a message.
Academy Awards events were held for the Myanmar motion picture community to value their creation and to show their efforts toward raising their standards. In addition to this, the event renewed the recognition, love and respect accorded to the artistes by the audiences.
I value the art of the movie, the artistes, experts and technicians working behind the scenes. Continuous innovation was required for motion picture and arts to attract the interest and support of the people. Thus it was understood that the Myanmar motion picture community would continuously innovate to produce better movies while academy award events would also be innovated to make them more grand and spectacular. It was learnt that veteran artistes and experts from the Myanmar motion picture community had put in time and efforts toward assessing, evaluating and selecting the academy award winners and their efforts were hereby given due recognition.
I want our country to prosper, develop and become a union where all ethnic people live in unity. At the moment every country of the world were facing challenges and so too was our country.
A thought came into the mind on how to use the subtle power of creative art in striving for a peaceful, united and developed country. That was because motion pictures greatly influence the hearts and minds of the people. This was the “Soft Power” that I used to mention quite regularly. Use this gentle soft power to benefit not only our country but the world as well. Not only does the creation of our artistes need to change together with the ever changing world, it also needs to develop. That was why when I met with artistes last year, I spoke of my wish to make Nay Pyi Taw the capital of motion picture. It was also understood that the motion picture community need to put in their efforts towards the development of the motion picture sector while the effective support of the State was also required.
As the country was not rich the government could provide only limited financial support. However, relevant ministries were providing enthusiastic support towards easing the difficulties faced in making motion pictures. Business persons were also urged from here to provide support and investments towards development of the motion picture sector that would provide good return on investment in the long run.
It was a joy to hear of the motion picture community’s all round efforts and innovation towards development of the Myanmar motion picture sector. Artistes were also given due recognition for using their artistic talents and moral forces for the country. As told repeatedly whenever I had the chance, their efforts towards putting our country onto the path of democracy were also thanked yet again.
The era of Myanmar motion pictures that began in 1920 would reach a hundred years by the coming year 2020. The Myanmar motion picture community that had went through many systems and eras of the country had also gained much experiences and lessons. Success had been achieved to a certain extent today due to the efforts made by the motion picture community. Starting from last year a lifetime achievement award was presented to artistes who served the people for many years and it had become a good tradition. In fact it can be said to have raised the prestige of the Myanmar Academy Award event.
It was learnt that the academy awards for today was selected from 83 movies that were screened in 2018. It was also observed that a total of 159 movies were produced last year. As the numbers of movies produced increased,the number of cinemas had also increased. As far as I know there were now 126 cinemas that were screening movies with digital system and the number of screens had increased to 145. There would be more opportunities for movie enthusiasts to watch movies. According to the principal of mutual dependence, as more movies were produced, there would be more investors who would invest in modern cinemas all over the country.
The government on its side would also support the development of Myanmar motion pictures by striving towards creating required studios and locations.
The Motion picture community was also urged from here not to be satisfied with the present situation and aim towards reaching the quality of international movies while striving to reach the level of the countries in the region that had developed film industries. It must be noted that motion pictures as well as the entertainment industry had an opportunity to make the world understand about our people, history, culture, traditions, thoughts and aspirations. In Asia, movies from Korea, Japan, China and India had shown their countries’ historical and artistic heritages to the world from new and remarkable point of views. If our motion picture industry could do the same, it would herald in a new milepost that would be of great honor to our next generation.
All over the world, people like and were attracted by movies while actors and actresses were also loved. For youth and youngsters actors and actresses became role models. Therefore, actors and actresses of our country were urged to become a role model for their audience and the people through their ethics and efforts as well as love and value of the country.
Nowadays many were considering such love and value as being too old fashioned and thus it need to be renewed in a new and innovative ways. On the other hand, play a part in your own artistic way towards helping to achieve the peace, national reconciliation, establishment of a democratic federal union and socio-economic development that your audience, the people were yearning for. Show the civic force of the motion picture community.
Some scenes from Line Walker (Operation Midnight Shadow) movie produced by Hong Kong based Shaw Brothers Pictures International Ltd were shot in Yangon this year and it could be taken as a good opportunity of showing the world the peaceful image of our country, friendly and helpful nature of our people and our culture and traditions. It was a great pleasure to see the help provided by relevant officials and organizations, especially the people in making those scenes.
It was also noted that during 2018, 3 movies, 3 series and a short story were made in Nay Pyi Taw during 2018. It was a pleasure that Nay Pyi Taw was becoming a capital city associated with entertainment. As the local and foreign investors’ interest in the motion picture sector increased, our dream of making Nay Pyi Taw a movie capital would become closer to realization.
In conclusion, I pray on this occasion that the motion picture community of our country develop and succeed. Serve the country and people with their skill and ability. May they stand tall as artistes loved by the people and the image and honor of the Myanmar motion picture community shine brightly for centuries.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Dr. Pe Myint expressed thanks to prominent members of the Myanmar movie community for putting their energy into evaluating the movies and selecting award winning movies, experts and actors from 83 movies produced in 2018.
The Myanmar Academy Awards presentation began in 2013, taking on more significance year after year, he said.
The Minister also said that this year brought development to Myanmar’s movie industry, with significant changes seen on screen. He also recalled the complaints about the quality of Myanmar movies heard last year, adding that good movies were accepted by the people and achieved success, being released one after another in 2018.
Regarding the improved movies, he acknowledged that competition among movie productions, and greater prospects for producing good movies, were brought about by increasing investments in movie productions.
“We heard that income from good movies had broken records. On the other hand, the fact that a good movie can achieve commercial success has become significant” said Union Minister Dr. Pe Myint.
Regarding the progress seen in the nation’s cinemas, he said that the cinema industry had seen an increase in investments, indicating that cinema was seen as an opportunity for investors.
The small number of available cinemas, however, has been a large problem in past years, and was difficult to solve during those years. But the number of cinemas was increasing in Myanmar due to an increase in investments in the sector each year.
Meanwhile, the number of movies which were screened at the nation’s cinemas increased from 33 in 2016 to 83 in 2018, while the number of cinemas had reached 146. Also, some 20 cinemas were expected to be opened in the next two to three years.
While recounting the past glory of the Myanmar’s movie world, Union Minister Dr. PeMyint said about 20 Myanmar movies were exported around 1930 to foreign countries including Japan, Thailand and India.
After the Second World War, Myanmar movies reached to foreign countries including China and Soviet.
With 10 movies selected for the 2018 Academy Awards and being screened in foreign countries, Myanmar’s movie industry could be said to have been rejuvenated and was now hopeful about its future development.
He pledged that the Union Government was willing to help the Myanmar movie community to ensure that they could effectively carry out the development the movie industry.
The Union Minister also informed the movie community that the Ministry of Information which was related with the movie industry has renovated the film studio 1, 2 and 3 in Bahan Township which were used by the movie community in the past.
The studios were abandoned after they were damaged by the Cyclonic Storm Nargis.
The Union Minister invited the movie community to use the film studios and to use the Film Promotion Centre for paper reading, discussion and movie training. He also expressed the ministry’s readiness to help the movie community and to remove obstacles for outdoor shooting in Myanmar, saying that the recent shooting in downtown Yangon by the Shaw Brothers Film company could be seen as fruits of coordination to overcome challenges for shooting in the downtown sections of Yangon.
Afterwards Myanmar Motion Picture Organisation Chairman U Zin Wine explained about works conducted for the progress and development of Myanmar motion pictures. Following this, announcements and presentation of awards were made. State Counsellor Daw Aung San SuuKyi presented the lifetime achievement award to five time academy award winner Sithu Daw Myint Myint Khin.
After the presentation of awards Vice President U Henry Van Thio’s wife Dr. Shwe Hlwan, union ministers and their wives and officials cordially greeted and congratulated the award winners.
The 2018 Academy Awards were selected from 83 movies screened during 2018 and screening of 83 movies was the second highest record in Myanmar motion picture history. The record for screening was 88 movies in 1962.
The event was attended by Vice President U Henry Van Thio’s wife Dr. Shwe Hlwan, union ministers U Kyaw Tint Swe, Dr. Pe Myint, Thura U Aung Ko, Dr. Win Myat Aye and Nai Thet Lwin, Peace Commission Chairman Dr. Tin Myo Win, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein, Deputy Minister U Aung Hla Tun, Yangon Region Hluttaw Speaker, Yangon Region ministers, members of Myanmar Motion Picture Organization, Thabin and Music Asiayone, artistes, 2018 Academy Award judges and invited guests.— MNA
