Tender Are the Feet

Plot

Sein Lin (Zaw Lwin) is the drummer for a traditional Burmese dance theater group in Rangoon, who is very passionate about Burmese music, art and cultural traditions. He gets frustrated when, in his opinion, one of the dancers dances against—not with—the beat, and he turns his back on his troupe, only to join another soon after, where he meet and falls in love with beautiful dancer Khin San (San San Aye). Yet Khin San is at first affronted by Sein Lin’s teachings. Although they argue incessantly, they cannot deny their attraction for one another. 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 theater. He tells her to return it only when she is certain she wants to stay in film. After celebrating her first cinema successes and deciding to marry producer Hla Tun (Aung Pyae), Khin San finally gives the figure back to the heart-broken Sein Lin. The story takes a different turn however when Khin San realizes that Hla Tun has been keeping something significant from her, and she returns to her traveling theater group.

Cast

Restoration and international premiere

The film was restored by the Yangon Film School with the support of Goethe-Institut and screened at Wathann Film Fest in 2012. It had its international premiere at the 64th Berlin Film Festival in February 2014.