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My name is Toru Kubota, a documentary filmmaker from Japan. After spending four months imprisoned under Myanmar's military regime in 2022, I committed myself to using film as a tool to create free, expressive spaces across Asia. Today, I’d like to ask for your support for the protagonist of my film, Resisters in Borderland.
Help us support Kyee Kan for his life-risking efforts to save people of Myanmar.
Kyee Kan, once a top cinematographer in Yangon, joined the armed resistance after the 2021 military coup and lost his leg in the military operation He later returned with a prosthetic leg, using drones to document the war — earning him the nickname “Kyee Kan,” meaning “crow.”
Beyond filming, he plays a key role in reconciliation and recovery efforts in Myanmar’s conflict zones.
While pro-democracy forces have gained ground, the military continues to launch deadly airstrikes — including on schools and hospitals — with weapons from China and Russia.
Over 3.5 million people are displaced, and more than 15 million face hunger. A recent earthquake has worsened the crisis.
In response, Kyee Kan is starting a pig and poultry farming project in liberated areas to boost food security and create jobs. But resources are stretched thin due to the earthquake and the halt of USAID support.
100% of your donation will be received by Kyee Kan, which will be used for his humanitarian efforts on ground.
Resisters in Borderland (59 min) 2024
Director, Editor, Camera/ Toru Kubota
Logline
In a border town between life and death, exiled filmmakers use cameras to resist military rule and fight for freedom.
Synopsis
After the military coup in Myanmar, some fled to the Thai border — but their fight didn’t end there. Armed with cameras instead of guns, they turned to filmmaking as resistance. Director Toru Kubota, once imprisoned by the junta, follows exiled creators documenting a silenced revolution.
Director’s Statement
In 2022, I was arrested by the Myanmar junta while documenting anti-military protests in Yangon. I was sentenced to 10 years in prison and spent 111 days inside the notorious Insein Prison. On the day of my release, a fellow Burmese journalist whispered to me, “Please keep telling the story of Myanmar after you return.” Those words stayed with me.
I returned to the Thai-Myanmar border with a renewed sense of purpose. There, I reunited with exiled Burmese filmmakers and co-founded Docu Athan, a project dedicated to empowering those silenced by oppression. We established a base where cameras and training are freely offered to help displaced storytellers continue their work.
Resisters in Borderland is a record of the filmmakers and journalists I met along this journey — their resilience, their vision, and their fight to reclaim truth through images. This film is both a collaboration and a testament to their ongoing revolution.
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