Open

⇒ To see the full-length documentary, click here

Documentary Open tells the story of Ko Latt, a young Myanmar artist who won the chance to study abroad with a scholarship. While living in Zurich, Switzerland, he fell in love. Surprisingly – and for the first time – this was with another man. Open explores cultural differences between Myanmar and the West when it comes to love and sexuality, and it explores what it means for a Myanmar artist and performer to discover that he is gay and how that fits in with his Myanmar family and the social context in his country.

Since its premiere at the Yangon LGBT Film Festival, Open has created controversy about what is and what it is not possible to show on the public screen in Myanmar. It is a visually striking film debut for its director Khin Zarchi Latt, who had no filmmaking background before taking part in a workshop, the Rainbow Reels, as part of the preparations for Myanmar’s first LGBT &PROUD film festival in 2014.

Rainbow Reels Workshop is an initiative to foster a cohort of new young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender film makers in Myanmar.

Artist: Kolatt
Director: Khin Zarchi Latt
Camera: Wai Yum
Sound: Naung Naung and Ye Naung
Assistant editor: Pan Mo Mo Chit
Music: Aung San
Sound Mix: Pe Maung Same
Translator: Lin Sun OO
Editor: Zaw Win Htwe
Production Mentors: Pe Maung Same, Khin Thethtar Latt, Lei Lei Aye, Zaw Win Htwe
Production Design: Zarko C

Exposure so far:

• Screening at &PROUD, LGBT Film Festival, Yangon, Myanmar, November 2014
• Screening in several cities in Myanmar, January – May 2015
• Screening at Stockholm Film Festival, Sweden, 2015
• Screening at Quezon City International Pink Film Festival, Philippines, October 2015