Mudras Calling (2018)

Myanmar born, US-raised music student Jaden, makes his way through the crowded streets of Yangon, Myanmar to research his thesis on Burmese traditional music. His guide, beautiful and proud Burmese dancer Hnin Thuzar, accompanies him as he travels through the unique landscape of Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake in Shan State. When he asks her help locating his birth parents, their journey takes on another dimension. As he gets to know her, their cultural divide becomes more apparent, but it takes a tragic accident to make him realize he's falling in love with her. Directed by Christina Kyi, "Mudras Calling" is both a personal exploration of birth roots and a love story. Even as he is entranced by Hnin's beauty, strength and sense of self, his world is thrown into turmoil. As he explores Myanmar, discovering the timeless landscapes and the deep rooted faith of its many tribes, he finds out unexpected truths about himself. While Jaden is provoked to question his own world view, Hnin fights for her life after a terrible accident. By saving her, he's able to save himself. Whether they can overcome their differences is an open question, but the 'mudras' of the title - hand gestures that call out to Buddha, seem to beckon him back to Myanmar. From the medicine man to the musicians, as the love story unfolds against life and death, we travel in our own way through the history of this long hidden country - Myanmar.