Kayan Beauties will be one of the first feature-length fiction narrative films from Myanmar to enter the international market for wide distribution.
Kayan Beauties puts a spotlight on the subject of human trafficking, which is an assault on humanity, and is disgracefully becoming more and more prevalent throughout the world.
Many individuals around the world believe that the Kayan people are indigenous to northwestern Thailand, where mock villages have been set up for tourists to visit and photograph these highly photogenic people, for a fee. Known for the distinctive brass rings that compress the shoulders and appear to elongate the necks of Kayan women, this tribe of people are actually indigenous to eastern Myanmar. Also, they are mistakenly known internationally (and even within their own country) as Padaung, or long-neck, or giraffe people. These are all considered derogatory terms by the Kayan people.
Kayan Beauties opens a tiny window into the lives of three Kayan women and a girl, in their small village and during their rare visit to a distant city. While all filming was done in Myanmar, the story touches upon the subject of Kayan women being used for profit in the mock villages in Thailand. In reality, this issue is very complex since it can be said that money generated in Thailand actually benefits the Kayan people.
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