Director
Anonymous Filmmaker
Country
Myanmar
Category
Fiction
Digital Rights Issue
Social Media and Disinformation
Synopsis
The film begins with a short montage of the news of a military takeover, protests on the streets, and the state of internet access in the country – all while Myanmar continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. At home, Hnin and Mon talk about whether they should purchase internet services, as their TV is broken and they have no other means to monitor the news. Outside, they can hear people cheering, but have no clue as to why.
Black Out reflects the disinformation being spread – and lack of information available – to the people in Myanmar following the military coup. Aside from the internet being throttled, the licenses of media outlets are revoked, protesters and journalists are being arrested, and telecommunications companies are vague when answering questions about when mobile connectivity will revert back to normal.
Hnin tries to get information from her friends, but even their news is reported to be fake. Mon is able to access the internet from a friend’s home, and later joins the protests. But when the 6 PM curfew nears and Mon does not return home, Hnin braves the danger and goes out in search of her daughter.
