City Yangon Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Japanese documentary filmmaker Toru Kubota, who was detained in Myanmar in July, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in the military-ruled Southeast Asian country. The Japan Times reports a junta-controlled court gave Kubota three years for sedition and seven years for electronic communications-related violations, he is expected to serve the terms concurrently.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Europe-based International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk has called for the immediate release of Myanmar documentary maker Shin Daewe. One of Myanmar’s leading female filmmakers, Shin Daewe (“An Untitled Life,” “Take Me Home,” “A Bright Future”) was arrested in Yangon in October after she had gone to collect a drone. After three months on remand she was tried by a military tribunal, inside the Insein Prison and without legal representation. She was sentenced to life imprisonment for violating Myanmar’s anti-terrorism law by possessing a drone. Myanmar is ruled by a military junta that seized control in February 2021 from a civilian government that it had previously backed.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefFilm producer Ma Aeint has been sentenced to three years of jail, with hard labor, by a court in Yangon, Myanmar.Ma Aeint is the producer of the film “Money Has Four Legs,” which was directed by Maung Sun and began screening at festivals in 2020 before Myanmar suffered a military coup in early 2021.The pair also co-wrote the script, which centers on a filmmaker coming to terms with the realities of making a debut film and facing down censorship authorities. The criminal case was not directly related to the film, though it may have made Ma Aeint a target for attention.She was found guilty on Friday of breaching Article 505A of Myanmar’s criminal code, which penalizes “causing fear, spreading fake news or agitating against government employees.” She was alleged to have given money to an illegal organization that opposes the Feb.

BANGKOK -- Several top Myanmar celebrities who were detained for criticizing the army's seizure of power were released from prison Wednesday under pardons issued by the military government, state-run television reported.The celebrities released from Insein Prison in Yangon include prominent film industry figures Lu Min, Wyne, Pyay Ti Oo, his wife Eaindra Kyaw Zin, and popular male model and actor Paing Takhon, MRTV reported.All had been arrested for supporting the protest movement against last year’s seizure of power by the military, which ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. They had been charged with incitement, which carries a possible three-year prison sentence, for encouraging government employees to join the protests.The TV report said the reason for their release was so they could participate in nation-building through their work in the arts.The report also said that Win Min Than, a popular blogger on beauty and fashion, received a pardon for her conviction for incitement but remained detained because she was also convicted of unlawful association.A Malaysian who was convicted and imprisoned on drug charges in 2019 was also given a pardon on Wednesday for what was described as humanitarian reasons.More than 12,000 people have been arrested since the army takeover in February last year, and more than 9,400 remain in detention, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, an advocacy group that monitors arrests.Shortly after its takeover, the military government began issuing arrest warrants for celebrities, charging them with incitement for “spreading news to affect state stability.”More than 100 celebrities were featured on wanted lists with their photos on state-run media.

An award-winning film director in Myanmar has been arrested almost a year after he was put on a wanted list for encouraging government employees to join in protests against military rule, a colleague and local media reported Thursday.

BANGKOK -- An award-winning film director in Myanmar has been arrested almost a year after he was put on a wanted list for encouraging government employees to join in protests against military rule, a colleague and local media reported Thursday.Htun Zaw Win, whose professional name is Wyne, was arrested Wednesday at his apartment in Yangon after spending most of the past year on the run, said the colleague, who is also a prominent figure in the entertainment industry. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of fear of arrest.Wyne has won multiple awards for best director and best screenplay from the Myanmar Motion Picture Organization.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefMyanmar director Maung Sun says he fears for the future of his writing and producing partner Ma Aeint who now faces charges brought by the military junta.Ma Aeint was arrested in early June in Yangon and was held for a month in judicial detention. She has since been transferred to the notorious Insein Prison, where she is being treated as a political prisoner.

Christopher Vourlias The powerful bond between two female factory workers, and the complex desire it ignites, form the starting point of Myanmar director Aung Phyoe’s feature film debut “Fruit Gathering,” which is being presented as part of Locarno’s Open Doors co-production platform.Set in working-class Yangon, the film tells the story of a young woman, San, who feels inexplicably drawn to her outspoken and confident co-worker, Theint.

It all depends on the throwing technique. Turning around one’s own axis and then throw it out of the shoulder using the whole bodyweight. And then the handbag flies into the loud cheering audience disappearing between the people. Just a few meters away from it a whistle marks the start signal. The participants run towards the finish line more or less safe on spectacularly high heels.

It all depends on the throwing technique. Turning around one’s own axis and then throw it out of the shoulder using the whole bodyweight. And then the handbag flies into the loud cheering audience disappearing between the people. Just a few meters away from it a whistle marks the start signal. The participants run towards the finish line more or less safe on spectacularly high heels.