Maw Theng Gaari

Kamal's been away from his desolately located village for six months. In the city he was cheated out of the larger part of his income and the only thing he has with him as he returns home is his bicycle. His wife worries about how the family's going to get by but then Kamal is struck with an ingenious idea. A society where all transportation takes place by foot transforms his bike into a two-wheeled taxi and freighter. No one in the village knows what the bicycle is and his headway is perceived with both fascination and jealousy. One day he breaks his leg, which is complicated by the mob's ultimatum. The debuting Aung Rakhine tells a spellbinding tale about what may be a true story, but also an allegory for our fear of the unfamiliar. (Göteborg Film Festival)