Activities
Workshops
The Yangon Film School brings together experienced filmmaking tutors from around the world and young Burmese men and women with prior experience in the media for regular film trainings in Yangon, Myanmar on a wide range of filmmaking aspects. These trainings place a particular emphasis on the documentary, but fictional filmmaking (albeit with a strong documentary ethos) is also taught.
Tutors
The Yangon Film School’s international team comprises experienced audio-visual professionals from at least seven different countries including Germany, the UK, Finland, Australia, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Denmark. As of 2009 the school began training YFS graduates to pass on their skills to the new intake as part of a train-to-teach programme. The school also invites Guest Speakers from the local film industry and development sector in Myanmar and, as of 2011 has begun to network with other industry practicioners in Asia to enable its students to exchange experiences with their colleagues in the region.
Flying Mentorship Programme
The Yangon Film School sends mentors to Yangon throughout the year to advise and assist filmmakers in the YFS group on specific projects and productions – regardless of whether they are intended for non-governmental organisations or are personal projects that have been initiated by members of the YFS group.
Yangon Film Services
Yangon Film Services was founded in 2006 by graduates of the Yangon Film School workshops. Several members of the YFS group have regularly produced documentaries for local and international non-governmental organisations, capacity building organisations and aid agencies. Among our regular clients are Save the Children Myanmar, Pyoe Pin, Shalom Foundation, World Concern and FXB Myanmar.
Scholarships
A limited number of scholarships are available for YFS courses for Myanmar nationals of both genders aged between 25 and 40. Candidates should be permanent residents of Myanmar. Participants are selected by the YFS Director and the YFS Committee on the basis of a written application, an interview and scrutiny of candidates’ previous work. Successful candidates come from all walks of life and from a variety of social and ethnic backgrounds. Previous media or filmmaking experience is an advantage but not essential. Evidence of an aptitude for, or a marked interest in, filmmaking and storytelling, as well as a commitment to building a career in Myanmar are essential to those wishing to apply. A working knowledge of English is preferable. It is a specific aim of Yangon Film School courses to encourage the empowerment of women in the media.
Training Programmes Abroad
The Yangon Film School cooperates with film schools, festivals and other industry organisations around the world to provide individual YFS students with an opportunity to train abroad. This cooperation takes the form of scholarships and/or internships lasting between two weeks and one year.
Festivals
YFS films are regularly submitted to international film festivals. Festivals at which YFS films have screened include:
Asia
Green Film Festival In Seoul, Seoul, Korea
Vientianale, Vientiane, Laos
Lifescapes South East Asian Film Festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand
EBS International Documentary Festival (EIBF), Seoul, Korea
Thai International Short Film Festival, Bangkok, Thailand
Doi Saket International Film Festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Guanghzou International Documentary Film Festival, Guanghzou, China
Docu Days, Alliance Francaise, Yangon, Myanmar
Europe
Visions du Reel, Nyon, France
Zebra Poetry Festival, Berlin, Germany
Arts Film Festival, Paris, France
In the Palace International Short Film Festival, Balchik, Bulgaria
Mo & Friese Children’s Short Film Festival, Hamburg, Germany
Open City London Film Festival, London, Great Britain
Lago Film Fest, Lago, Italy
Regensburger Short Film Week, Regensburg, Germany
Sehsüchte, International Student Film Festival, Potsdam, Germany
Munich International Festival of Filmschools, Munich, Germany
One World Film Festival, Prague, Jihlava, Czech Republic
Film Caravan Wandering Film Festival, Imperia, Liguria, Italy
Festival de Cinema de Douarnenez, Douarnenez, France
Zürcher Theaterspektakel, Zürich, Switzerland
exground film festival, Wiesbaden, Germany
Heinrich Boell Foundation, Berlin, Germany
International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, Oberhausen, Germany
FAMU International Student Film Screening,Prague, Czech Republic
Burmese Arts Festival, London, Great Britain
Hannover-up-and-coming Film Festival in Hannover, Germany
Asian Connection Festival du Cinéma Asiatique in Lyon, France
Festival International Signe de Nuit – festival de l’art documentaire et de création audio-visuelle et cinématographique, Paris, France
Interfilm International Short Film Festival, Berlin, Germany
Vivé Rencontre Cinéma, Grigny, France
Traumzeit Festival, Duisburg, Germany
North America
National Geographic Allroads Film Festival in Washington and Los Angeles, USA
Palm Springs International ShortFest, Palm Springs, California, USA
LA Asian Pacific Film Festival, Los Angeles, USA
South America
Brazil International Disability Film Festival, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Australia
Sydney Film Festival, Sydney, Australia
Awards
Best Documentary Award at Wathann Filmfest 2011 in Yangon, Myanmar
Sweetie Pie by Sai Kong Kham
National Geographic Allroads Award for Best Short Film
A Sketch of Wathone by Kyi Phyu Shin
Special Mention at the Zebra Poetry Festival
Again and Again by The Maw Naing
Heinrich Boell Foundation Documentary Award
A Million Threads by Thu Thu Shein
Like Father, Like Son by Pe Maung Same
Into the Ring by Aung Ko Ko
Just a Boy by Lay Thida
See more films HERE
Film Archive
The Yangon Film School is collating a Film Archive of material filmed by YFS filmmakers, on all manner of events – social, cultural and natural.
Film Library
Numbering some 200 titles, this library contains historical film examples of world cinema, documentaries and books on filmmaking. This growing collection is rapidly becoming an invaluable resource for a whole generation of filmmakers.
Television Partners
YFS began cooperating with MRTV 4 in Myanmar in 2007. Since then, two YFS films – Peace of Mind and A Day with Aye Nan Lin – have been broadcast to audiences in Myanmar of up to one million viewers. The Yangon Film School is currently developing further cooperation with broadcasters – both inside and outside Myanmar.