RAY: The Movie, based on author Khat Zaw’s non-fiction novel UNSHAKABLE (Ma Yai Lae Tan), was screened at the Gathering International Church in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Sunday. This comes one day after its North American premiere in New York City on Oct. 3.
Depicting the real-life journey of actress and former beauty queen Htar Htet Htet following the 2021 military coup, the screening attracted an audience of over 250 people, including members of the Myanmar diaspora, Thai film lovers, and others.
The Chiang Mai film screening featured in-person attendance by prominent actor Daung (Thura Aung), who starred in the film alongside Min Maw Kunn and Htar Htet Htet.
Director The Khit Nay and Htar Htet Htet greeted the audience via video message from Australia, where they reside in political exile.
“This film does not merely refer to Htar Htet Htet’s life alone. It represents the lives of all our revolutionary brothers and sisters who are going through this journey together,” The Khit Nay told the audience.
Author Khat Zaw, who attended the venue in person, echoed this sentiment, describing the movie as a historical document recording real-world sacrifices and intergenerational bonds rather than political propaganda.
“I want it to take everyone back to their starting point in the revolution. It will be worth showing if it makes people reflect on where they started, what they have been through over these five years,” said Daung.
Following its official premiere in Sydney, Australia, on June 27, RAY: The Movie has been screened in Japan, Singapore, and South Korea, with additional screenings scheduled through October, November, and into January.
All proceeds from ticket sales and merchandise auctions are being donated directly to internally displaced persons (IDPs) and emergency relief networks inside Myanmar.
