Watch Burma VJ

Burma VJ is a documentary film released in 2008 directed by Anders Østergaard. The movie is based on the 2007 uprising in Myanmar against their government's oppression, and it is centered around the video journalists (VJs) who documented and aired the event to the world. The film is entirely composed of footage recorded by the Burma VJs, along with interviews and narration to explain the political and social context.

The documentary begins with the VJs showing us how they work to capture and smuggle footage from the streets of Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar. They operate under cover, and they often use small handheld cameras to record everything that is happening on the streets, taking risks to get the best shot possible. The footage shows the regime's oppression and the courage of the protestors against it. The VJs encounter many dangers while capturing their footage, including police brutality, imprisonment or even death.

The story then moves on to the beginning of the Saffron Revolution on September 2007, where monks peacefully protested against the military regime. Lead by Buddhist clergy, the protests grew large and eventually led to a confrontation with the regime. The VJs are present, and they capture everything with their cameras. They show us the peaceful nature of the protests, and the brutality that occurred when the military government began cracking down on it. The regime's military forces arrested, tortured, and killed protestors after they failed to crush the movement, bringing the nation back into the state of martial law. Footage shows the family of one of the VJs being arrested and tortured, which adds personal dimension to the story.

Throughout the movie, we see the heroism of the VJs, as they smuggle footage out of the country to share with the world, and provide a voice to the oppressed citizens of Myanmar. Their efforts helped make the world aware of the situation in the country and the scale of the human rights violation by the Myanmar government at the time. Many international news agencies used the footage provided by these VJs, which would have otherwise gone unknown to the world. This footage provided evidence of the atrocities committed and led to increased pressure on the international community to aid the protestors, and national sanctions were imposed by different countries.

In conclusion, Burma VJ is a gripping and emotional documentary that depicts the dangers that fearless journalists face in totalitarian countries, and the indomitable spirit of the oppressed who seek to protest against their regimes peacefully. It provides a powerful insight into life in Myanmar and the harsh conditions that the VJs had to contend with to get their story out. The film offers a nuanced perspective of the state of the nation showing the faults in the political system of Myanmar, the impact of civil protest, and how the government responded to it. The documentary was nominated in the Best Documentary category of the Academy Awards in 2009, and it continues to be a much-needed testimony to the human struggle for freedom and democracy in Myanmar.