Crossing Salween

A very moving film that succeeds in winning your empathy within a few scenes for this young, brave girl who witnesses unspeakable cruelty when her village is destroyed and her friends and family are murdered by the Burmese military.

Terrified and alone she must find the strength and courage to make her way through the jungle and cross the Salween river to safety. Soon she is aided by a spirit guide who seems to embody not only her spirituality but also the love of her family and community and the strength of her culture and traditions.

The film tells a story that is familiar to Karen people and all ethnic groups from Burma who have had to flee oppression and persecution at the hands of the Burmese government. I hope film will help to bring this message to a wider audience as this oppression continues to this day.