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| Aung San Suu Kyi biopic The Lady is underground hit in Burma | |
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| They move in crowds, thrusting handfuls of bills into sellers' hands before slipping their purchases stealthily into their bags. With its poor sound quality and shaky videography, this is one DVD that would not normally merit such secrecy – or popularity – on the streets of Rangoon. | They move in crowds, thrusting handfuls of bills into sellers' hands before slipping their purchases stealthily into their bags. With its poor sound quality and shaky videography, this is one DVD that would not normally merit such secrecy – or popularity – on the streets of Rangoon. |
| But these are not normal circumstances, and this is not a normal film. The Lady, Luc Besson's long-awaited biopic of the Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has no scheduled release in Burma and is likely to be banned by the military-backed civilian government. | But these are not normal circumstances, and this is not a normal film. The Lady, Luc Besson's long-awaited biopic of the Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has no scheduled release in Burma and is likely to be banned by the military-backed civilian government. |
| The buyers are undeterred and eager to know more about 66-year-old "Auntie Suu", as she is known here, who, after 15 years of house arrest, will contest a parliamentary seat with her opposition party National League of Democracy in April's byelections. | The buyers are undeterred and eager to know more about 66-year-old "Auntie Suu", as she is known here, who, after 15 years of house arrest, will contest a parliamentary seat with her opposition party National League of Democracy in April's byelections. |
| Aung San Suu Kyi's campaign is being closely followed by the international community, which has welcomed the reforms introduced since the civilian government took office last March. Political prisoners have been freed, ceasefires have been signed with ethnic rebels, and her party has been touted by a government official as able to "be the ruling party one day". | Aung San Suu Kyi's campaign is being closely followed by the international community, which has welcomed the reforms introduced since the civilian government took office last March. Political prisoners have been freed, ceasefires have been signed with ethnic rebels, and her party has been touted by a government official as able to "be the ruling party one day". |
| So it is no surprise that Burma's citizens would want to know more about The Lady. Starring the Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh, the film follows Aung San Suu Kyi's involvement in politics and how her dedication tested her marriage with the British scholar Michael Aris, played by David Thewlis. It opened in Britain in December and will be in US theatres next month. | So it is no surprise that Burma's citizens would want to know more about The Lady. Starring the Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh, the film follows Aung San Suu Kyi's involvement in politics and how her dedication tested her marriage with the British scholar Michael Aris, played by David Thewlis. It opened in Britain in December and will be in US theatres next month. |
| In Rangoon the pirated DVD has been available for months. It is so poorly copied it is almost unwatchable, yet entire street stalls have been set up to sell the film, which costs 50p a copy. | In Rangoon the pirated DVD has been available for months. It is so poorly copied it is almost unwatchable, yet entire street stalls have been set up to sell the film, which costs 50p a copy. |
| Those who have seen it hope it will make a difference internationally. Khin Zaw, a teacher in Rangoon, says the film may "open the eyes" of the rest of the world to Burma. May Khaing, an actor, says: "I've met people abroad who didn't even know where Burma was. Perhaps the movie will change that." | Those who have seen it hope it will make a difference internationally. Khin Zaw, a teacher in Rangoon, says the film may "open the eyes" of the rest of the world to Burma. May Khaing, an actor, says: "I've met people abroad who didn't even know where Burma was. Perhaps the movie will change that." |
| But the film is not immune to criticism. "They should have included more of the bad stuff that was happening at the time, like the killings of the National League of Democracy members, and focused less on the love story [between Aung San Suu Kyi and Aris]," Khaing says. "And Michelle Yeoh is a good actress, but it sounds weird when she speaks Burmese." | But the film is not immune to criticism. "They should have included more of the bad stuff that was happening at the time, like the killings of the National League of Democracy members, and focused less on the love story [between Aung San Suu Kyi and Aris]," Khaing says. "And Michelle Yeoh is a good actress, but it sounds weird when she speaks Burmese." |
| Aung San Suu Kyi is one Burmese who has not yet watched the film, according to Besson. He told Thai newspaper the Nation: "The film is very private and emotional for her." It depicts scenes of her late father, who was assassinated, and her husband, who died of cancer while she was under house arrest. | Aung San Suu Kyi is one Burmese who has not yet watched the film, according to Besson. He told Thai newspaper the Nation: "The film is very private and emotional for her." It depicts scenes of her late father, who was assassinated, and her husband, who died of cancer while she was under house arrest. |
| Film piracy is common in Burma, where the latest copies of Hollywood blockbusters and Korean soap operas are often found long before their cinematic release. But The Lady is a peculiar case, sold in a special DVD package alongside other banned films including 2008's Rambo IV, which pitted Sylvester Stallone against the then military junta; speeches from Aung San Suu Kyi; comedic performances from the recently released political prisoner Zarganar; and the 1995 film Beyond Rangoon, a largely forgotten action drama of the 1988 student uprising, which has become a cult classic among democracy activists in the country. | Film piracy is common in Burma, where the latest copies of Hollywood blockbusters and Korean soap operas are often found long before their cinematic release. But The Lady is a peculiar case, sold in a special DVD package alongside other banned films including 2008's Rambo IV, which pitted Sylvester Stallone against the then military junta; speeches from Aung San Suu Kyi; comedic performances from the recently released political prisoner Zarganar; and the 1995 film Beyond Rangoon, a largely forgotten action drama of the 1988 student uprising, which has become a cult classic among democracy activists in the country. |
| Last year there was a small but significant relaxation of Burmese censorship laws, with YouTube, Hotmail and many other sites unblocked for the first time by the nation's internet providers. But the country retains a strict censorship board that ensures films made in Burma, the second poorest nation in Asia, are generally sanitised depictions of daily life. | Last year there was a small but significant relaxation of Burmese censorship laws, with YouTube, Hotmail and many other sites unblocked for the first time by the nation's internet providers. But the country retains a strict censorship board that ensures films made in Burma, the second poorest nation in Asia, are generally sanitised depictions of daily life. |
| A film festival in January suggested directors are fighting back. Ban That Scene, a satire about a government censorship committee, won the top prize at Rangoon's Art of Freedom festival after competing against other films critical of the former military junta. | A film festival in January suggested directors are fighting back. Ban That Scene, a satire about a government censorship committee, won the top prize at Rangoon's Art of Freedom festival after competing against other films critical of the former military junta. |
| The festival, attended by Aung San Suu Kyi, was organised by Zarganar, a 51-year-old comedian who was sentenced to 59 years in prison four years ago for speaking to foreign media. He was released last year along with about 200 political prisoners under a general amnesty. | The festival, attended by Aung San Suu Kyi, was organised by Zarganar, a 51-year-old comedian who was sentenced to 59 years in prison four years ago for speaking to foreign media. He was released last year along with about 200 political prisoners under a general amnesty. |
| "This is free expression," Zarganar told the Burmese-focused news agency Mizzima. "This is a step in the right direction. And we are not afraid. We are never afraid." | "This is free expression," Zarganar told the Burmese-focused news agency Mizzima. "This is a step in the right direction. And we are not afraid. We are never afraid." |
| Whether The Lady will be released in Burma may be the next great test of a democracy yet to come. And many Burmese are still hoping to see the real-life story of Aung San Suu Kyi taking office. | Whether The Lady will be released in Burma may be the next great test of a democracy yet to come. And many Burmese are still hoping to see the real-life story of Aung San Suu Kyi taking office. |
| • Some names have been changed. Will Hannah is a pseudonym for a journalist in Burma | • Some names have been changed. Will Hannah is a pseudonym for a journalist in Burma |