Art as a Weapon (2014)

Street art creativity and revolution collide in this beautifully shot film about arts ability to create change The story opens on the politically charged ThailandBurma border at the first school teaching street art as a form of nonviolent struggle The film follows two young girls Romi amp YiYi who have escaped 50 years of civil war in Burma to pursue an arts education in Thailand Under the threat of imprisonment and torture the girls use spray paint and stencils to create images in public spaces to let people know the truth behind Burmas transition toward artificial democracy Eightytwo hundred miles away artist Shepard Fairey is painting a 30 mural of a Burmese monk for the same reasons and in support of the students struggle in Burma As these stories are intercut the film connects these seemingly unrelated characters around the concept of using art as a weapon for change