In December 2003, the Burmese actor was accused by The Irrawaddy for displaying " conspicuous patriotism". When the Thai film Bang Rajan—which featured scenes of one of Burma’s 18th century invasions of the Thai kingdom—was screened at a Pan-Asian film festival in France in early 2001, Kyaw Zin stormed out of the theater before the film’s end. Its director, Thanit Jitnukul, who took home the festival’s Best Director award, recounted meeting Kyaw Zin that day. "She was very friendly at first," Thanit said. "Then she asked me about my movie. I told her its name, and she refused to talk to me again.