Seen at HMV Singapore
Photos courtesy of See Ming.
posted by Amir Muhammad at 12:37 pm
Thursday, July 13, 2006
About Me
- Name: Amir Muhammad
- Location: Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
I am a Malaysian writer, publisher and movie-maker who gets restless easily but likes to watch.
Previous Posts
- Your Film Is Banned. There's Not Enough Violence.
- Soundtrack etc. launch party
- Singapore video release
- T-shirt now on sale
- Da Malaysia Code, uncut
- Invite to talk ... and T-shirt launch!
- Ban this!
- Coming to Seattle
- Let the past remain where it belongs
- Ironi filem Lelaki Komunis Terakhir
7 Comments:
on a slightly related note...
AWARD-WINNING FILM PULLED FROM SEOUL FESTIVAL
By Llew-Ann Phang
The Sun. 14 July 2006.
PETALING JAYA: What’s behind the documentary “18?” that it had to be vetoed by the Malaysian Embassy in Seoul from being screened at the EBS International Documentary Festival (EIDF) there?
Festival organizers Korea Educational Broadcasting System (EBS) had to close the curtains on the award-winning documentary by Danny Lim after the embassy rejected it for featuring “an anti-government political activist.”
The embassy’s choice for the festival‘s Five Nations Fair, being held from Wednesday to tomorrow, is Hisham Abdullah’s 45-minute “Songs of Change”, which tells the story of Kelantanese dikir barat activist and tukang karut Halim Yazid.
Lim, who is a senior writer with Off the Edge, said the festival director informed him of the embassy’s rejection late last week.
Lim said that even though former exiled activist and Internal Security Act detainee Hishamuddin Rais appeared in the documentary, he did not make any political statements.
EIDF executive director Gunny Hyoung had asked Lim to submit “18?” after it was recommended by film-maker Amir Muhammad, of “The Last Communist” fame.
Lim’s two-year old 18-minute documentary tries to unravel the mystery behind the steet art graffiti that popped up in Kuala Lumpur, bearing messages such as Legalise Ganja, Ada Apa Dengan National Service (What’s with National Service?) and Pertahankan Hak Asasi (Defend Human Rights).
Gunny told TheSun yesterday the Five Nations Fair, to foster goodwill, was a collaboration with foreign embassies and documentaries required their approval before being chosen for screening.
Gunny liked “18?” saying “I thought the whole idea was brilliant.”
He confirmed that the embassy had objected to it because of a political activist’s appearance.
“I am not familiar with the political situation in Malaysia but we screened “The Last Communist” on Wednesday and the embassy complained about it as well,” he said.
The embassy, replying to questions emailed to it, denied that EBS required its approval to feature any documentary.
“Your assumption that this embassy has the power to veto Danny Lim’s “18?” is without basis,” it said.
“In discussions with EBS, this embassy had suggested some particular documentaries which feature Malaysian theatre and art forms to be shown. The focus was on cultural and touristic elements which have a broader outreach here in Korea. The preference for cultural and touristic elements and films which had scenic backgrounds was made in the context of promoting Visit Malaysia Year 2007.”
Wisma Putra’s External Information Division said it had rushed five RTM-sourced documentaries to the embassy at their request because “the Malaysian films the EIDF had were deemed not appropriate for screening.”
“We did not watch the Malaysian documentaries but the embassy was looking for something involving Malaysia’s progress, lifestyle or culture, with no political or negative elements, and we tend to agree with that,” she said.
[Meanwhile, “18?” can be watched in its entirety now on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj1bP2Ud0x4 )
Well, Amir, don't worry, I'm hoping that this meme of mine will take off.
i will buy 1..
yeah just discovered this blog too. Kudos to amir. will go get LKT soon. - a Malaysian in sg.
i can name at least a dozen people (and these are only ppl i know personally) who have bought the dvd in spore and smuggled it back. a blow for malaysian customs and a boon for singapore economy! syabas kpd kerajaan malaysia!
manglish, u're so right. hehe.
I wish I could get a copy in Malaysia...
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