“White Tiger Column,” a documentary by Bryan Dickie, Robert Mentov, and Dwight Jantzi, premiered as the opening selection at this year’s International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. The three filmmakers spent six weeks embedded in the Burmese jungle documenting the training operations of young recruits joining the People’s Defense Force following Myanmar’s 2021 military coup.
Dickie, a Canadian photojournalist with 15 years of experience covering the region, collaborated with longtime creative partners Mentov and Jantzi to create an observational portrait of the resistance fighters. The filmmaking team developed a deliberate approach to their subject matter, working closely with the Burmese diaspora and local filmmakers to ensure cultural and political sensitivity. Rather than employing traditional documentary techniques such as talking heads or extensive narration, the directors opted for an intimate, minimalist style that captured the daily lives and conversations of trainees preparing for combat.
The directors consciously avoided depicting explicit violence, instead focusing on the human dimensions of the conflict through training sequences and interpersonal interactions. They employed longer lenses and static camera techniques to maintain distance from their subjects while allowing viewers to observe poignant moments within the seemingly routine activities of jungle preparation. Dickie emphasized that the film attempts to communicate universal themes—sovereignty, freedom, and displacement—rather than explicating Myanmar’s complex political history.
The filmmakers noted the relevance of their work to contemporary global movements, positioning “White Tiger Column” within a broader context of youth-driven political activism. They highlighted the courage displayed by young people who have abandoned conventional comforts to fight for their country’s democratic future. However, Dickie acknowledged the sobering reality underlying the documentary, noting that despite the grassroots idealism of Myanmar’s resistance movement, the conflict continues to result in casualties and ongoing conflict in the jungle regions where the fighters operate.
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