By I know I’ve expressed this thought in other reviews, but one of the joys of covering the New York Asian Film Festival is that I get to experience films from other Asian countries besides the majorly known ones in the US. I can’t say I’ve ever seen a Burmese film before, though I am familiar with how the 2008 Rambo film actually inspired the Karen National Liberation Army to fight harder against their oppressors. It’s fascinating what the power of moving pictures can do.
That said, even knowing Myanmar is one of the least developed countries in the world did not prepare me for how devastatingly awful MA – Cry of Silence makes it out to be. Screen Daily reviewer Allan Hunter even wrote, “MA – Cry Of Silence depicts a life that barely feels worth living.” Having watched it without context beforehand, I agree.
MA – Cry of Silence
Director: The Maw Naing
Release Date: October 4, 2024 (South Korea), July 17, 2025 (NYAFF)
Country: Myanmar
Like many other films I’ve watched at NYAFF this year, MA – Cry of Silence is less a plot-driven movie and more a mood piece with a call to action at the end. The story is framed around Mi Thet (Su Lay) and her struggles at a textile factory in Yangon. She and her fellow slaves co-workers decide to assemble a strike to get wages owed to them by their oppressive bosses. While Mi Thet is initially reluctant, she starts to learn about the history of Myanmar and the repeated tragedies it has faced, and eventually joins in.
If there’s one complaint you can make about the movie, and I use that term lightly, it’s that there isn’t really much character development. At only 74 minutes in length, the film doesn’t have much room to deliver in-depth emotions or complex relationships, but that isn’t the goal. Director The Maw Naing is very clearly trying to put a spotlight on the absolutely dire circumstances that not only women, but poverty class workers face in Myanmar. The film’s story revolves around a group of women, and while clearly a feminist film, my biggest takeaway is that the people of this nation need help.
Going back to that Allan Hunter quote I mentioned above, MA – Cry of Silence paints such an overwhelmingly hostile environment that I was questioning why anyone would bother waking up in the morning. One of the supporting characters early on in the film says something along the lines of, “My life feels like it’s dormitory and factory, factory and dormitory,” and that’s actually true for 90% of the film. While likely done for economic reasons, MA – Cry of Silence is only ever truly filmed from two indoor locales. You see a couple of different rooms, but not much else except for the gates of the factory when the strike begins.
© The Maw Naing
There’s a harsh contrast between those two settings, as well. The dormitories are dimly lit with decaying boards, dirty beds, and barely any personal space, while the factory has fluorescent lights, the whirring of sewing machines, and fans on full blast constantly. The film gets this across with painstaking attention to detail that almost has it come off as a documentary. If you didn’t understand how difficult Burmese citizens had it before watching this film, you’ll know after.
The drama doesn’t come only from Mi Thet’s hesitance to join the strike. MA – Cry of Silence also showcases some secondary plots with other women in the dorms. One girl is forced to prostitute herself for money, while another is working as a landlady and indirectly aiding in the oppression of the workers. Mi Thet’s roommate routinely suffers beatings, and the film takes time to highlight the physical pain she is going through, agonizingly zooming in on her bruised skin and broken psyche. It’s a tough watch, but everything feels purposeful.
When the major conflict kicks into gear, the movie then becomes almost entirely about solidarity between workers and the desire to overthrow authority. It’s a lesson that might be pointed directly at the corrupted powers of Myanmar, but which is universal in its message. When the boss keeps lying to the women that they’ll be paid “soon,” one of the workers eventually argues with Mi Thet that if they never take action, then soon will never come. You cannot sit around and wait for change to happen; you need to be the change you want to see.
© The Maw Naing
Honestly, that is all I feel comfortable saying, too. More than any other film I’ve watched at this year’s festival, MA – Cry of Silence is really a film that works best when seen with your own eyes. I can explain all the devastation and harrowing destruction on display, but it doesn’t quite get across how difficult a time I had watching the movie. I suppose I could comment on the acting or direction, but those are all top class. Again, they are convincing enough to have you believe this is a documentary.
Really, if you agree that workers’ rights are an important thing to fight for and that all human beings should be treated with respect, you’ll fully understand the message that MA – Cry of Silence is delivering. I can only hope that this film will inspire its citizens much like how Rambo did. No one should have to exist in an environment that feels like actual hell just to make a living.
