Documenting Change

Published in Sunday People, New Sunday Times
22 September 2009

Documenting change
MAX KOH



The FreedomFilmFest returns for the sixth year with documentaries that explore how things has changed since the March 8 general election, writes MAX KOH

THE March 8 general election brought much change to the local political scene but did it change the lives of ordinary Malaysians?

That’s what Pusat KOMAS asked of budding film-makers as the theme, Real Change?, for this year’s FreedomFilmFest.

“We wonder if it has brought change to the lives of the ordinary Malaysians,” explains Komas director Anna Har. “We want to see what they have to say about it.”

FFF is an annual campaign that promotes socially-conscious film making with emphasis on human rights.

Earlier this year, Malaysians were invited to submit film proposals that related to human rights and changes after March 8, 2008.



We do not produce films just to put them on shelves, says Komas’ Anna Har

Three proposals were chosen and each was awarded a grant of RM5,000 to develop a film with the help of Komas.

Among this year’s first-time film-makers are lawyers Khaizan Sharizad Razak Dali and Seira Sacha Abu Bakar with No Silver Lining: The Perak Crisis. It sheds light on the Perak political crisis which occurred earlier this year.

“I think it’s great to have two lawyers help laymen understand the issue, especially with the qualifications that they bring,” says Har, formerly the creative director of a local television production house and who has since established her own company, Big Pictures Production.

Poet and artist Rahman Haron revisits the Kampung Memali incident in Al-Fatehah Memali while Soh Sook Hwa documents a group of 150 cyclists who cycled around the nation as part of the “Ride For Change” campaign in Kayuh.

“These stories are interesting. First, we have Rahman who seeks to find out how things have changed for the people in Kampung Memali since the incident in 1985, while Soh’s film explores how some Malaysians are willing to step out and do something for the country.”


Poet and artist Rahman Haron revisits the Kampung Memali incident through singer-songwriters Black and Meor in Al-Fatehah Memali


These three stories made it through the hundreds of applications because of the film-makers’ passion for the issue and relevancy to the theme.

“We get a good variety of proposals each year, but the problem is that a lot of people are angry or unhappy.

“Generally, people do not analyse the issue and have a very surface understanding of it.

“Through the process of film-making, we dig deeper into the issue. It becomes a process of awareness and learning for the film-makers, the crew and the people who come watch the shows.”

The films will be shown around the country next month. The best film will take home RM2,000 and the “Most Outstanding Human Rights Film” award.


Lawyer Khaizan Sharizad Razak Dali (right) with her film- No Silver Lining which she co-directed with Seira Sacha Abu Bakar

As attractive as the main prizes are, that is not the main objective.

“For me, it is an investment in young people who have something to say about issues in Malaysia and helping them develop the idea and see it get out to the masses,” says Har, who recently produced Gadoh, 70-minute feature film that explores our perception of identity and challenges our hatred of the “other”.


Scene from Al-Fatehah Memali

“It is to help them achieve it through the medium of film, and also to get people who are marginalised to speak up and be heard.”

FFF’s past winning films have done much to get attention paid to issues deemed controversial.

These include Justin Johari’s Who Speaks For Me? which tackled the rights of Muslims to talk openly about their religion in Malaysia, and Indrani Kopal’s She’s My Son which shed light on the relationship of a Malaysian transsexual and her mother.

There is also Fahmi Reza’s Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka that remembered the contributions by the political left in fighting for our country’s independence.

So have human rights improved in Malaysia, you wonder?

“Evidently not, with all the issues that are going on. There are still laws such as ISA and OSA and people’s rights are still undermined.

“But awareness is definitely improving with discussions and information made possible by the Internet.

“That is what I hope to achieve with FFF, to create more awareness and discussions and hopefully stir the people up enough to advocate change and press for better freedom and human rights.


Filmmaker and lawyer Seira Sacha donned a frog mask in No Silver Lining.

“But reception has been encouraging through the years. You find a good crowd attending our screenings every year from all walks of life.

“You find the regular uncles and aunties who come without fail each year, as well as the usual activists, young adults, and students,” adds Har.

With such subject matters which may raise a few eyebrows, Har is happy to note that the government has not done anything to muzzle or clamp down on Komas’ activities.

“I think it’s because it is a friendly event just like any other film screening. After the films, we have a short discussion where we will talk about the issues raised,” she adds.

“That’s why it is called FreedomFilmFest. We give space for people to talk about their rights, to explore their rights, to discuss their rights. It is an avenue for people to talk about issues like these.”

Apart from raising awareness, Har also notes that the films actually help the activists in their respective causes.

“We do not produce films just to put them on shelves. A lot of the films are used directly by activists to help them in their causes.

“One early film featured a lone woman who tirelessly lobbied against the incinerator project in Broga. Now, the incinerator has been stopped and the film-makers feel that the film, Alice Lives Here, played a big part in it.”

And Fahmi’s Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka caused many young people to ask what is in their history books. It made significant contributions to historical documentation not explored before.”

* The three films will be screened at The Annexe, Central Market on Oct 3 at 7.30pm and subsequently in Penang (Oct 10), Johor (Oct 24), and Kuching (Oct 31). Other award-winning films will be screened during the FFF as well which begins on Oct 2. Visit freedomfilmfest.komas.org.

Behold, real life

First published in New Sunday Times
22 March 2009

Behold, real life
MAX KOH



A group of people living with HIV/AIDS takes the unconventional road to raise awareness on the dangers of drugs addiction and the diseases, writes MAX KOH

ONE Saturday morning, the quaint town of Batu Arang was awash with excitement as people gathered at SMK Tuanku Abdul Rahman for the first BA Pesta Komuniti (Community Festival).

The Fallen Leaves Theatre Group (FLTC) was performing a play about the dangers of drug addiction and HIV/AIDS, amid a string of short talks by community leaders and representatives from the Malaysian AIDS Council.

Despite the heat, all eyes were on the performance Jangan Main!, a story about a guy named Zam and how he became ensnared in the world of drugs.

There was an air of ubiquity to how the cautionary tale unfolded — Zam skipped school with friend, Zam was peer-pressured into smoking, Zam drank cough syrup and soon, Zam was hooked on hard drugs.


Gritty realism that captured the attention of the audience

Sure, you must have heard a version of the story before but there is a gritty realism to how the events were portrayed in the play.

The “actors” were uncannily successful in capturing the audience’s attention. The scenes were based on the actual experiences of the cast themselves.

FLTC comprises recovering drug addicts and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Abdul Manap, who plays the older Zam, soliloquises: “Siapakah aku di dunia ini? (Who am I in this world?)”

Garbed in a white T-shirt with a pink ribbon on the sleeves, Manap is a-fire about the dangers of drug abuse and, through performances and workshops, tries to reach out to those at risk of drug addiction.

FLTC had its origins in June 2006, when Cloudbreak Creative Centre was invited to help residents of Positive Living Community (PLC), a local HIV/AIDS hospice in Batu Arang, in a drama therapy programme.

Company’s strongperson and producer Jade Ong relates how the weekly workshops sparked their imagination and soon, a new breed of writers eager to share their stories emerged.

However, it was only after a trip to a theatre performance (the members had not, until then, seen a live theatre performance) that they had the idea to develop their personal stories into a play that would raise awareness of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS.

The first show was at The Actors Studio in December, 2008, and it was sold out. It met positive response and highlighted the stigma faced by those living with HIV/AIDS.

The company brought the show to Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Penang and Malacca.

In Jangan Main!, we watched as Zam fell deeper into the world of drug addiction.

The message that sharing needles and indiscriminate sex were dangerous really drove home when acted out so realistically, even against the lighter moments such as busking (the cast played instruments).

The play also touched on the stigma that AIDS patients faced. In one scene, a reformed Zam burned the clothes given him by his late friend afflicted with AIDS.

The scene was simple but poignant.

The Pesta Komuniti was held for the first time in Batu Arang, a small town that houses a few drug rehabilitation centres and HIV/AIDS Hospices.

About 500 people turned out for the two-day event which included a workshop with the students of SMK Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

A chat with a cast member reveals that more work needs to be done to increase awareness.

“Even here in Batu Arang, a primary student suffering from HIV was kicked out of school when one of the parents found out about it. And it happened again in the next school he was enrolled in.”

Nevertheless, the work continues.

While the focus is still on the members’ recovery process, the group is also working to renovate its studio, Cloud 9, and to manage themselves independent.

Currently, individuals from Cloudbreak make up part of FLTC. George Wielgus is the director while Ong is the producer.

At Cloud 9, the residents were eager to show visitors around.

The spacious house had its interior walls adorned with mahjong paper that visitors were welcomed to write a lyric of their favourite song, a poem or even draw a self-portrait.

On another hanging from the wall, the team members had written or drawn their goals and visions for the group this year.

“We hope more people will invite us to perform because the dangers of drug addiction and HIV/AIDS still remain unspoken in our country,” says Ong.

After each performance, the actors would engage the audience in a forum as well as involve them in a form of participatory theatre.

“After all, the drama-based approach has proven to be rather powerful and effective,” she adds.

For more information, visit fallenleavestheatrecompany.wordpress.com.