ARTHOUSE FILM NEWS - Cosmic Disco Detective Rene at Facets, Chicago 11/29/23

Go to this page and click on Burma's Saffron Revolution link to see the video of the Wed 10/3 US Senate hearing on the recent pro-democracy protests in Burma (Myanmar). Good stuff. The Senators were very motivated & interested, looks like there will be some very targeted & useful financial/banking restrictions crashing down on the junta, plus many other useful things to come - quite possibly. Check out the hearing here . - Sujewa

Read all about the doc Wasted Orient here . - Sujewa

One of the elements of the founding mythology of the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka always bothered me; that was that when Prince Vijaya (the founder of the Sinhala people/race & Sri Lankan civilization according to the ancient chronicle Mahavansa) came to Sri Lanka he encountered various groups of people already living there, people with trappings of civilization, but then the story of Prince Vijaya moves on, just focusing on what his dynasty and kings after them did in Sri Lanka, without looking at who these other people - the Yaksas - that Vijaya encountered were. Looks like a new book provides the answer to the question of who those people were. I received the '07 published book The Lost Dynasty: Uncovering Sri Lanka's Secret Past in the mail today, and the book is an intoxicating feast of historical material, amazing new interpretations, and beautiful photographs. Anyone familiar with ancient Indian mythology will have heard of the Ramayana; an epic poem that tells the story o

To many engaged in filmmaking & distribution in America, how much money a movie makes is a very, very important issue, and is in fact deeply connected to their survival, jobs, self-esteem, how much love they get, and many other essential things. However, there does seem to be something incredibly vulgar (and i am not the first person to express this) about the obsession that the mainstream media has about how much a movie makes, $s wise - at the box office. This obsession has also creeped into indie film media. In the "we are mostly just making entertainment products for making cash" areas of the entertainment industry; such as porn, video games, and most Hollywood or mainstream European movies or even Bollywood movies for that matter - all perfectly useful things to many people by the way - there is no issue re: movies making money; movies must make money, a lot of it, end of conversation. Even in the independent film world, making money is important. The indie film scen

Sylvester Stallone was in Burma filming John Rambo recently. A Herald Sun article talks about what Stallone witnessed. Here is a segment from the article: "He returned before the Burmese military's violent crackdown against monks and residents participating in the largest pro-democracy protests in Burma in two decades. Burmese journalists estimate between 40 and 50 people have been killed since last Wednesday, with details emerging of some of their fates. The Burmese army has also waged a war against ethnic groups - raping women and killing innocent victims. Hardest hit have been the Karen - one of several minority groups seeking greater independence and autonomy." Read the rest here . And later in the article: " "This is full scale genocide. I want an 'R' and I want the violence in there because it is reality. It would be a whitewashing not to show what's over there,'' he told Associated Press." Read all about it here . And here'

Check out the blog for the DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival here . - Sujewa

From this Daily Mail article. Here is the intro: " Thousands of protesters are dead and the bodies of hundreds of executed monks have been dumped in the jungle, a former intelligence officer for Burma's ruling junta has revealed. The most senior official to defect so far, Hla Win, said: "Many more people have been killed in recent days than you've heard about. The bodies can be counted in several thousand." " Read the rest here . Well, the junta is not down with peaceful protesters, so maybe an invasion by a UN peacekeeping force is necessary. Actually, maybe NATO, as in Bosnia. Or, most likely, it will just fall on the Burmese people themselves, including exiles & the million or so refugees living on Thai border, to liberate themselves from the junta through war. - Sujewa

From this article at Mizzima news . Here is a segment: "I don't know where this battalion will be posted as they have been ordered to move back to base. I don't know if they will be deployed in Rangoon to kill protesting monks and students. But it is a reinforcement. That's why our people have attacked them," Pado Mann Sha told Mizzima. Read the rest here . If true, get used to news like this Burma, as non-violent protesters get beaten down & killed, armed action against the military dictatorship will increase. Either way, in the end, the junta will be out of power because 400,000 people (the size of the Burmese armed forces when i last checked on it) can't keep 50 million angry people (or the total population of Burma) down for long. The change could have come peacefully but looks like the junta has chosen the violent path. it won't be pretty. - Sujewa

i took a break from checking out burma news & other sunday pm work & checked out this lively conversation between ian svenonius and ian mackaye: part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 - sujewa

From UC Campaign for Burma website : " China is paralyzing UN Security Council action on Burma. They are the main economic, military, and political supporters of the military junta. For fifteen years China has refused to press its closest ally to allow its people human rights, and used its veto power to block the UN Security Council from acting. As a result, the UN is making the same mistakes it made on Darfur and Rwanda. We are calling on people of conscience throughout the world to boycott the 2008 Chinese Olympics, join our efforts.

From this BBC article: " Thousands of people have taken to Britain's streets to support pro-democracy protestors in Burma. The Burma Campaign UK said an estimated 3,000 people attended a march in London, which was the biggest protest for Burma in the UK so far. Gatherings were also held in Newcastle and Brighton." Read the rest of the article here . - Sujewa

From this BBC article that outlines world response to pro-democracy movement/recent protests & marches in Burma: " INDIA Relationship: It has close economic and diplomatic ties with Burma. It has expressed concern over the current crisis but generally maintains a careful silence over the situation, describing it as an internal affair of Burma. Former Defence Minister George Fernandez has described India's current position as "disgusting". Interests: India is concerned above all with protecting its oil interests in Burma, signing a new deep-water exploration deal in the same week that protests got under way. India also sells arms to the military regime in Rangoon. But as the world's most populous democracy, India is under pressure from the West and from activists at home to take a stronger stand in support of democratic forces in Burma. Comment: "As a close and friendly neighbour, India hopes to see a peaceful, stable and prosperous Myanmar, where all

This first video is some footage of DC protesters outside the Chinese Embassy on Fri 9/28/07 afternoon: This video is of Buddhist monks from several countries (i know for a fact that several Sri Lankan monks are in that line up) chanting in front of the Chinese Embassy in DC, as a part of the same protest shown above: - Sujewa

Check out the video at the pro-democracy group in exile National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma's web site . Here is a description of the video: " "In Hiding" is a detailed account of human rights abuses committed by the Burma Army against ethnic minorities inside Burma over a one year period. It is an unrelenting documentary of disturbing images and firsthand stories; unadulterated evidence that the brutal military dictatorship of Burma continues its tyranny. And yet the film shows a people who resist the Burma Army and who, despite incredible difficulty, have hope. (Credit: Free Burma Rangers)" Check it out here . - Sujewa

Check out the photos here . Looks like this protest happened on 9/27/07. - Sujewa