Watching: Tender Are the Feet

Overview

Made under the Burmese dictatorship, Maung Wanna’s debut feature tells a story of Sein Lin, the drummer for a traditional dance theatre group in Rangoon, who falls in love with beautiful dancer Khin San. When she leaves the group to pursue a career as a film actress, he gives her a small figure as a keepsake, a symbol of traditional theatre. He tells her to return it only when she is certain she wants to stay in film. The dancer’s independence in choosing to become a film actress breaks with cultural tradition, as does Sein Lin’s performance in a jazz club, symbolising the colonial influence.