February 1st

On February 1st, 2021, a military coup unfolded in the Republic of Myanmar. This visual documentary explores the reflections on art, revolution, and freedom through the travel diaries of two women filmmakers: one Burmese and the other French. Both have witnessed the country in distinct lights.  

'This ambivalence made us question the meaning of freedom. Are there conditions? Limits? Is it fair? With this film, we've tried to understand our differences, from one country to another, from one individual to another; what links us to others, our passions, our gender, or even our need for freedom. Presented as a personal diary in visual form, we explore what it is like to feel foreign, to feel lonely or surrounded by others, to feel strong. We attempt as well to understand the role our pictures play in our lives as women film directors. February 1st is the result of creative collaboration from two parts of the world, a collective voice facing geopolitical events that concern all of us. In the end, who takes over the reins of power in this film?' - Leïla MACAIRE