• Title: I am Golden Karen
• Original Language: Thai, Burmese, Karen
• Country: Belgium
• Year: 2018
• Runtime: 83’
• Director: Maui Druez, Preben Verledens
• Producer: Steven Dhoet
• Production: Visualantics
• Cinematography: Maui Druez, Preben Verledens
• Editor: Beppe Leonetti
• Music: Simon Carlier

Synopsis:

Victims of the past are not hindrances, but essential parts of Burma’s future

When the British left Burma, about 60 years ago, the Burmese government embarked on a still ongoing civil war against the many ethnic minorities in the country, including the Karen people. Over the years, many Karen fled the state to neighbouring Thailand. In order to survive, many of them went looking for work in the border town of Mae Sot or in the Thai capital Bangkok.

I AM GOLDEN KAREN tells the story of Thaawa, a young Karen rapper, who is part of an entire generation that has grown up in Thailand, but nurtures a strong desire to return to their motherland. In this film, we follow Thaawa as he (re)negotiates his identity from being a young migrant arriving in Bangkok to becoming a father. He questions his responsibilities towards the family and his desire to both settle in Thailand and return to Karen State, Burma.