‘Aye Ko’ tells a coming-of-age story from Myanmar rarely seen on screen
When Israeli-American director Dani Schoffman attended New York University’s film school, he befriended a student from Myanmar and became instantly fascinated by Burmese culture. Schoffman moved to Myanmar for a few years and the result was Aye Ko, a daring short film that tells the story of a young girl in Myanmar who must find her way back home with a goat in time for her sister’s wedding.
Having played at a variety of film festivals including HollyShorts and the Asian American Film Festival, the short film tells a story of Myanmar rarely seen on-screen. In his director’s statement, Schoffman mentions how the film in essence is “about human beings and their personal struggles, and the journey we have in common.” While filming in Myanmar throughout the political turmoil, Schoffman came to develop the mantra, “Things will work out, one way or the other. It’s the journey that matters”.
On Monday evening, July 5, Kehilat Kol HaNeshama in Jerusalem, will be screening the film at 8 p.m., followed by a conversation with Ariel Oseran, a journalist for NPR and I24 news. Talking to The Jerusalem Post about the film and his experiences in Myanmar, Schoffman described the process that led him to making the film.
You’re an Israeli-American making
a film about a girl in Myanmar. How did you go about depicting their culture authentically?
“If a Burmese person watches the film, they can tell it’s not a Burmese film. But, at the same time, I didn’t try to make it as a Burmese person. It was my interpretation of the culture and people and the land. I also intentionally changed the names of places. My girlfriend at the time helped me with the whole process. She was the assistant director and producer on the film and was with my translator on set. What wasn’t culturally precise was that a girl wouldn’t get kicked off the bus for having a goat. And the one thing that I do regret culturally is the scene where the father and the taxi driver peed in front of the lake, and they peed standing up. They would do it sitting down normally because they are wearing
longyi skirts.”
Do you notice any similarities between living in Israel and Myanmar and how both countries are depicted on the international stage?
“Obviously, in people’s day-today lives, the majority of Israelis and Burmese have nothing to do with the conflict or with human rights violations. They’re just trying to live their best life. And I think that’s what I’m trying to show in this film. Everyone wants happiness and to live without suffering.”
Immediately after graduating from NYU Film School, you moved to Myanmar for two years. What surprised you most about the country?
“A lot of things. The first two weeks were tough. I remember just walking down the street and not even recognizing the fruits and vegetables they sell. Also, just how sweet and helpful people there are. Like, I forgot my phone in the taxi and they brought it back to me, and that happens all the time. It’s not that they feel for someone, it’s that they want to do something for someone else but aren’t able to.”
What was your reasoning behind casting non-actors in the film?
“The only non-actor was the biker, and he played himself. I met him on another shoot where he played a bodybuilder, which he is. The father figure is probably the most interesting actor. He is a rebel army leader. At some point, he went to Thailand and was in a refugee camp. Then, Sylvester Stallone was casting for
Rambo, and the film used Burmese refugees that were living in Thailand. So, he auditioned and got the part. When we asked him, ‘How was it playing the people you’re fighting?’ he said, ‘Oh, it was really easy because I know how evil they are.’”
What’s next on your filmmaking agenda?
“I want to make a feature next. And I have some ideas for Israel. There’s a script that I wrote in the States. It takes place in Italy, but I want to adapt it to Israel. In the meantime, I have a production company here with my sister called Kinehouse Creative, and we do everything from music videos, to nonprofit, to commercial and promotional videos. I think in the meantime I’ll start creating content... a web series or short film or anything, just to get the ball rolling.”