Synopsis
Ko Aung Zay Yar, a Muslim, and his wife Ma Tin Tin Maw, a former Buddhist turned Muslim, have called the Ayeyarwady fishing village of Nga Pote Thin their home since before Cyclone Nargis struck in 2008. They may have survived that devastating weather event, but their love is clouded by her family’s disapproval of her conversion to Islam as well as the daily prejudice they face as the only Muslim family in this otherwise entirely Buddhist community. Love Like Ours shows how they navigate these challenges and impart valuable lessons to their children about how to live your life when you are in the minority.
‘This story of forbidden love bravely explores themes of stigmatisation and conflict. A captivating film that radiates strength and is to be commended for its use of music and sound design.’
Goethe-Institut Myanmar Documentary Award Jury
Credits
Director: Yan Paing Htun
Camera: Paing Aung
Sound: Sai Nyi Min Htut
Editor: Khin Warso
Categories
Technical Details
Duration: 17‘42‘‘
Format: 16:9 anamorphic
System: PAL
Subtitles: English
Copyright
Yangon Film School
Director's Statement
‘I met Ko Aung Zay Yar, Ma Tin Tin Maw and their children when I spent a month recording sound for another film project in the same area. It was the first time I had encountered a Muslim family in that village. As a Muslim myself, I could deeply empathise with their experiences and felt compelled to tell their story, at the heart of which is the love they share which has miraculously triumphed over all else.’
Director's Biography
Born in 1999, Yan Paing Htun, who is a Muslim, is from Myaungmya in Ayeyarwady Region. In 2017, he started working as a videographer for a local NGO, Mosaic Myanmar, and in 2019 he joined film and television studio Aliens Production where he took on various roles including assistant director, sound recordist and sound designer. Yan Paing Htun joined Yangon Film School in 2020, where he has since worked as either sound recordist or cinematographer on films by his fellow-students, including Boy Queen (dir. Sai Nyi Min Htut) and Dala Boatbreakers (dir. Kaung Swan Thar). Since discovering his talent for postproduction, he has also worked as a colourist on several YFS productions. Love like Ours, which won the Ruby Award at the YFS-Goethe-Institute Documentary Competition in 2023, marks his directorial debut.
Awards & Nominations
December, 2023 November, 2024 Director's Filmography
Director
17‘42‘‘
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November 2024
Jury Statement at Film SouthAsia, Kathmandu, Nepal
"Among the forerunners in this category was Love Like Ours an intimate film that explores the deeply personal yet universally resonant story of interfaith love in Myanmar. It’s a moving portrait of love and identity in the face of cultural and religious intolerance."
