User Reviews

Burma is an oppressive military state. It's illegal to protest in public. Men with guns will come and take you away if you do it. In 2007 a massive uprising began in the country when fuel prices became too high.

The images of the monks marching in the streets were the defining image of this uprising but this documentary shows a lot more footage, the really important footage which is worth seeing.

The video journalists in Burma (Myanmar) record everything undercover and sneak the footage out of the country so it can be broadcast around the world.

The images are pretty stark, the army shooting unarmed civilians in the street, beating up and carrying away monks, a dead monk floating in a river the day after they were arrested.

This is a very good documentary about the people rising up and fighting what is pretty much an impossibly authoritarian force. The soldiers have guns, the civilians have flags and video cameras. It's not hard to see who will win when you think of it this way. And yet the students, monks and rest of the people in the streets never waiver. They march onward, even saying, "Those who don't fear death, come to the front". That's bravery. Our political fights in North America and the rest of the Western world, while important are a mere shadow compared to the people of Myanmar.

Burma is of course only one story of an authoritarian government, there are many more. Canadian and American companies regularly do business with this regime and rape the land of its resources. It's pretty obvious why Canadian troops are "fighting for democracy" in Afghanistan instead of Burma. We don't don't control the resources there, we do in Burma.

To create that sense of realism, tension and excitement even, the fad nowadays is for filmmakers to employ the use of the nausea-inducing shaky cam. For the multiple, independent video journalists in Burma documenting instances of oppression and suppression, crying for the attention of the outside world, it's not a technique used for vanity or stylistic reasons, but one stemming from sheer necessity. One can imagine if one is caught with a video camera recording street arrests and such, where the penalty would likely be endless interrogation, to put it mildly, and probably being conveniently forgotten.

"Joshua" and his crew from DVB – Democratic Voice of Burma – a group of clandestine journalists operating from within Burma, had plenty of footage that they manage to smuggle out of the country, either through online means, or trusted couriers, where news networks had used to tell of the plight of street protesters in September 2007. Utilizing small consumer cameras hidden in bags and whisked in and out for clips lasting seconds, you can feel that real sense of danger that these folks go through just to get actual ground conditions to the outside world.

Director Anders Østergaard had assembled various clips from that fateful event where the monks took to the streets, which for days an unexpected non-response from the military government provided that spark of optimism that change was coming. For those familiar with the aftermath from that affair, watching this on hindsight made one feel a little saddened even, because we know what would be coming up next. With some moments re- enacted and spliced together with actual footages, Burma VJ became a riveting documentary where the draw is having to become a witness to what's happening on the ground being in stark contrast to official state media's interpretation, and perhaps to think about how an event as this one shouldn't be allowed to just fade away.

And the footages are nothing short of amazing, astounding, and shocking even. There was a progression of sorts technically, probably stemming from collective courage of the masses where temporal point-and-shoot strategies gave way to lengthy unflinching recordings. From the journalists' first hand accounts as seen through their viewfinders, we take to the streets with them in a "people power" movement, even going right up to the villa where Aung San Suu Kyi was held under house arrest, appearing to greet the monks. We also get a sense of how the military's strength in numbers were called upon to cordon off areas and provided a standoff with their weapons locked and loaded, and executions at point blank were all caught on camera, from grainy digital zooming of lens watching from afar.

In some ways, the film progressed as per how the movement gained momentum, in a slow brew of relatively smaller demonstrations to a frenetic charge toward large masses, before night time raids and arrests of the protesting monks led to a systematic fizzling of drive and ultimate dispersal, and the flight for cover, as the DVB journalists had to lay low following crackdown by the secret police. For the superstitious as the military junta is touted to be, there's a quick mention of Typhoon Nargis too, which I recall when it struck had many tongues wagging that it was a celestial response to what was done to the monks, here in a scene that I've never seen, a lifeless body floating on a river with a cracked skull.

Burma VJ is a powerful documentary, and I do urge anyone who has the chance to watch this, to give it a go.

The Western world concerns itself with issues like that of bias in the media. In Burma, journalism is illegal. The impact of "Burma VJ" is pretty straightforward. These VJs, living under a militaristic government, risk their lives to get footage of the crimes against humanity in their country--the killing of Buddhist monks, the extreme crowd control--and smuggle it out so the world can see (as well as back into Burma to counteract the government's propaganda).

It's hard to get a sense of just what director Anders Ostergaard brings to this story as he creates a film: his greatest achievement is that he simply lets his source, named Joshua, tell his story. The issue speaks for itself and the footage these daring citizens capture is plenty to awaken anyone unaware of the situation in Burma to the tragedy there.

Certain parts are more compelling than others, but in general, "Burma VJ" executes to the fullest what every good documentary should: enlighten. The film's impact goes a bit beyond into the realm of courage and sacrifice of the citizen to stand up to wrongdoing in his or her country--certainly unique in that this comes to light through illegal journalism--but mostly you are left with becoming aware and upset that a government would treat its people this way, glad to live somewhere where journalism is an institution. Suddenly the conflict we see every day between the media and establishment seems so totally insignificant. It's a reminder of how important the work of the journalist is and how it's a privilege to have in a country, which ultimately is about the privilege of being free in a country. ~Steven C

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I had the pleasure to see this remarkable and inspiring film screen at SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX. The film is truly unusual and unique. It is the type of film that leads you to appreciate the freedoms that Americans take for granted. However, flawed journalism is in the United States, our first amendment allows journalists to report freely. In Burma, journalism is a crime and those who report the truth are risking their lives to bring the story of their country's repressive regime to the rest of the world. Burma VJ is the story of the efforts of a remarkable group of Burmese photojournalists – with the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) - who secretly videotape during the failed Sept, 2007 uprising against the Burmese military regime. The bravery of the journalists who attempt to report these events and the monks who led the rebellion against the military is humbling and the videos they take are mesmerizing.

Sadly, these events made headlines for a few days in 2007 and then the world promptly forgot about Burma yet again. It remains today one of the most isolated and forgotten places on Earth. Its regime remains one of the most repressive in the world, perhaps only behind that of North Korea. This film is a cry for the world not to forget the on-going tragedy of Burma. The story almost tells itself as it gives us the chance to bear witness to the crimes against humanity committed by the military junta. Of course, the video quality of recordings on small hidden cameras sometimes leaves something to be desired, but their very shakiness reflects narrowness of the link connecting us back to suffering of the Burmese.

This film is testament to the Burmese struggle and it should be viewed by all those who believe that all humans deserve the right to live in freedom. It is a beautiful eloquent testimony to the human desire to be free and I hope many people watch and rally to the support of the long-suffering people of Burma. Their story deserves to be told and Burma VJ is an unforgettable film of human courage.

Burma (where, ironically, George Orwell was born) is perhaps the country in the world that most resembles an Orwellian nightmare, under the grip of a repressive military dictatorship for over 40 years. In the west, we don't usually hear much about it, which is, one suspects, much as its rulers would like. But this absorbing documentary tells the story of a (sadly failed) revolt that took place in 2007, as well as the story of those who reported it in defiance of the authorities. And it's a shocking film to see: if the monks protest against the government, the government has no qualms about killing the monks. When the army (for whatever reason) refused to break ranks with its generals, the revolution was doomed; fundamentally, no-one want to die. The generals' propaganda would almost be funny if it wasn't backed up by the utter willingness to use lethal force, even in the face of peaceful protest. 'Burma VJ' is an important testament to the grim reality of life in the country; but at the end, even the resistance leaders are despairing of hope.

In 1962, the Burmese government was overthrown in a coup by the socialist military, who maintained control of the country until 2011. During this time, Burma deteriorated into poverty, while any protests or statements made against the ruling government were quickly crushed through intimidation, torture, outlandishly long jail sentences and executions. In 1988, a series of marches, rallies and protests now known as the 8888 Uprising were brought to a bloody end as the military killed 3,000 civilians in the streets.

With the media controlled by the state and a ban on any footage leaving the country, the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) has trained its journalists to work as guerrilla cameraman, working in the shadows to capture any acts of oppression or revolution. They work as a network but rarely meet, communicating using mobile phones and internet chatrooms, and frequently putting themselves at great personal risk. Being captured could mean death, with our narrator, known as 'Joshua', having his footage wiped early on by secret police and being forced into exile. Clever reconstructions of Joshua receiving updates on a new uprising now known as the Saffron Revolution, led by the Buddhist monks, forms a tense narrative.

The footage captured by the DVB is astonishing, with the action taking place right before your eyes. It is also, at times, incredibly intimate. Early on, the monks distrust the DVB, suspecting they are secret police. When the cameramen are attacked by plain-clothes military, the monks protect them and trust is immediately solidified. You are instantly swept up by the protesters elation and feel their incredible sense of hope, so it's absolutely shattering to see it all torn away. Director Anders Ostergaard weaves the footage together expertly, and the film is wholly deserving of its Best Documentary nomination at the Academy Awards in 2010 (and probably deserved to win). It's as close as you could get to being on the streets of a country under a crushing regime, and the results are frustrating and terrifying.

Burma VJ is a moving account of people struggling against a brutal dictatorship against all odds. Focusing on the footage taken by underground journalists within Burma / Myanmar during the 2007 protests by Buddhist monks and students. Starting from the protests' mundane origins in a gasoline price hike, it traces the uprising to its tragic conclusion in a crackdown by the military junta.

The film itself is a testament to the importance of the Internet as a tool to combat oppression. Using cell phone cameras, the resistance journalists transmitted events as they happened to the world, creating a spectacle that other countries could not ignore.

Moreover, Burma VJ gives an inside look at what it is like to live in a dictatorial society, where nothing we would recognize as freedom exists. This is a society where police agents regularly commingle with the populace without uniforms, and where being dragged into an unmarked car are genuine possibilities for the average person. In essence, the film gives viewers a peek into the court of the crimson king.

Some reviewers have carped that a few scenes, mainly involving a liaison in Thailand, are reenactments, and that the film is not objective. However, in the face of military brutality by the junta, calls for objectivity seem weak and pusillanimous. Sometimes, direct statements are the best.

While "Burma VJ" isn't the easiest film in the world to watch, it is a very important and brave one. Like such documentaries as "The Square" and "Karama Has No Walls", it consists of some amateur filmmakers risking their lives to record efforts to bring democracy to their nations by standing up to the thugs running the government. Unfortunately, while all these are very brave films, the Oscar folks have nominated them and yet DIDN'T give them the Oscars. Lesson learned--such films often seem to get nominated but also seldom win.

This particular film is about the freedom movement in Myanmar (Burma) in 2007. After 19 years of being led by a repressive military junta, a mass movement of monks and the public took to the streets to protest. Unfortunately, the government didn't seem to have much problem with arresting and killing these people. Footage of the repressive soldiers doing awful things were secreted out of the country and the film is made up of this footage.

The footage is quite interesting. The film's narration, however, seems very impromptu and could be better and less rambling. It could also have used a bit of editing to tighten up the film a bit. Still, it's an exciting film and one that is worth seeing.

I knew very little about Myanmar prior to watching this film, but learnt much from it. It shows vividly how a military dictatorship can brutally suppress demonstrators who want to have more human rights and freedoms. This occurs in front of our eyes as brave camera people clandestinely film the "freedom movement" demonstrations. We see that as more and more people rally to the cause, the government and military react severely to suppress the manifestations, showing no tolerance whatsoever to their people. At the end of the documentary we learn that several of the camera people were arrested and their current whereabouts are unknown. Watch the special features for interviews with monks who bravely participated in the rallies and another short film on the civil war in Myanmar. If you are from a democratic country like myself, you realize how fortunate you are.

This Oscar nominated documentary tells the story of what happened in Burma in 2007 when the military suppressed 100,000 protesters.

Underground reporters captured what was happening. The footage has been shown on news stations, but this is a collection of the footage showing a complete story.

The reporters faced death or life imprisonment to get this footage. Once the military realized that the footage was being sent by the reporters, and not foreign journalists, they systematically hunted them down.

Those who were not arrested, spread out through the country.

It was a touching story of how the people stood up to oppression. They were not teabaggers, but people willing to die for freedom.

I saw this movie at SXSW last year, and it really interested me because my mom and her side of the family is from Burma. I knew that there were problems going on in Burma, but I wasn't really familiar with any more details regarding the problems. Watching the footage made me feel as though I was watching something that I wasn't allowed to watch, and I wanted everybody to watch and learn what was going on in Burma. Everybody should be able to record and document what is going on in life, and I really appreciate Anders Østergaard going out and making a film about the problems in Burma.

After watching the movie, I felt so much more educated about the subject. I wanted to learn more about it, and I wanted my mom and the rest of my huge family to watch it. I told everyone about it, and it was definitely my favorite documentary at SXSW 2009...and probably of the whole year. I'm so glad that it received an Oscar nomination, and I really think it should have won.