Myanmar director Aung Phyoe's debut feature film 'Fruit Gathering' delves into the complex bond between two female factory workers in Yangon, exploring same-sex desire in a conservative society. The film is being presented as part of the Locarno Film Festival's Open Doors co-production platform.
The story follows San, a young woman who feels an inexplicable draw to her outspoken co-worker Theint. As their relationship deepens, San struggles to recognise her desires until the harsh realities of life in Myanmar force them apart. The film is produced by Myanmar's Third Floor Production, co-produced by France's Art-Production and the Czech Republic's D1 Film, and is expected to shoot in autumn 2021.
Phyoe, who moved to Singapore at 15 and returned to Myanmar as a young adult, was inspired by the sight of a solitary young woman crossing train tracks. 'Many Burmese people, they don't look very happy,' he said, noting the burden visible on their faces. The director drew on his own experiences of loneliness and deep attachments as an only child to craft the story.
The film aims to portray the complexity of women's lives in Myanmar's repressive society. 'The way they express themselves is much more complex than I see within other societies,' Phyoe said. He also addresses same-sex desire, which is illegal in Myanmar but often depicted on screen through campy stereotypes. 'They never really portray this complexity,' he added.
