This conference and film series highlights the work of documentary filmmaker Adrian Cowell, while exploring the intersections of US drug policy, opium use and the political and social conflict within the opium-growing region of Burma’s Shan State that are the geographical focus of Cowell’s work.

The event has two components. The first day is the screening of selected documentary films by Adrian Cowell. These are films shot not only in the Shan State, but also in other parts of Asia, such as Hong Kong, Thailand, and Tibet. Of these, Cowell’s Opium Series, a set of films, presents a uniquely comprehensive portrayal of the opium trade. It tracks the flow of opium from the highlands of Shan State to dealers and users in Hong Kong, while also providing an up-close portrait of policy makers in the United States. Bertil Lintner will provide commentary on the films and highlight their contribution to the study of conflict and narcotics.

The second part explores Cowell’s documentary films along with key themes presented in them. Scholars will examine visual portrayals of the Shan State. A second group of panelists will discuss themes regarding opium, narcotics enforcement policies, and conflict in the Shan State and Afghanistan.

The UW Libraries Special Collections received the Cowell Southeast Asia film and research archives in 2013, complimenting our digital holdings of journalist Bertil Lintner’s personal Burma archival collection to form one of the most significant extant archives on this opium-growing region.

Find more details on the UW Libraries' website.