AWARD-WINNING FILM PULLED FROM SEOUL FESTIVALAnd an excerpt from The Star's article.
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.
Filmmaker baffled by decision to axe 18?
KUALA LUMPUR: Independent filmmaker Danny Lim, whose documentary 18? was reportedly vetoed by the Malaysian embassy in South Korea from being screened at a festival there, said he did not think his film would court any controversy.
Made in 2004, the documentary examines the sudden appearance of socio-political graffiti around the city. Most of the graffiti feature the number 18, while others were caricatures of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and also cartoons about the National Service and human rights.
The Korea Educational Broadcasting System (EBS), organiser of the EBS International Documentary Festival, had to pull the film from the festival line-up after the embassy rejected it for featuring an "anti-government political activist."
Lim: His 2004 documentary has won several awards
But the embassy has since denied that it had any power to veto the inclusion of Lim's documentary and had only recommended some other documentaries for the festival.
Lim said he was confused about the situation pertaining to his film.
The senior writer with an English magazine said the only political activist who appeared in his film was former ISA detainee Hishamuddin Rais.
"And he only talked about the origins of graffiti, such as cave paintings," he said. "He also talked about whether graffiti was an art form. What if I made a documentary about the breeding habits of dugong, and I interviewed a political activist who happened to be an expert in that field? Would that be approved?"
I first read about this on a post from the malaysian-cinema mailing list (which I've just joined two days ago) So far, the only person (that I know of) who has blogged about this issue is Howsy who suggested that this may be a repeat of Amir Muhammad's Lelaki Komunis Incident? (Amir's involved in the production of this film and was the one who recommended it to the fest)
The film was vetoed by the Malaysian embassy in South Korea from being shown in the film festival because it features an 'anti-government political activist' - former ISA detainee Hishamuddin Rais. The embassy later denied this and said that they don't really have the power to veto the film and all they did was recommend some other films.
So be it. I am sure they are very supportive when it comes to matters like this.
Here's some info about 18?:
"What is 18? This mysterious number is but one of a prominent crop of graffiti that has popped up around the streets of Kuala Lumpur.The film had won the Gold Prize in the Short Film: Documentary category of the 2005 Malaysian Video Awards, and was also the runner-up in the amateur category at the 2005 Freedom Film Festival. It was screened at the Singapore International Film Festival last year, and at the Jakarta Film Festival in 2004.
Sprayed at strategic urban spaces and applied with a seemingly socio-political agenda, the 18? graffiti and its like (eg "Legalize ganja", "Ada apa dengan National Service?", "Pertahankan Hak Asasi", etc) brazenly takes its place alongside advertising banners and billboards in our urban sightlines.
What does it mean? What is it selling? Why? Who did it? 18? - the documentary - attempts to uncover the mystery behind the graffiti."
It is available for download at Danny Lim's website (50MB). Or you can even watch the thing via Youtube below:
The Malaysian independent film industry is said by many to be undergoing a movement of sorts that is referred to as 'a new wave'. Many works from this country are being shown in festival circuits, garnering accolades from foreign countries that are unfortunately not noticed by our own countrymen due to the lack of media coverage.
If allowed to grow unhindered, I think, and I want to believe, that there will be a bright future for Malaysian films, and that we can establish ourselves as, in Yasmin Ahmad's words, a filmmaking hub (of sorts) that will be noticed internationally. But once again, maybe I am immature and naive, thus I believe so much in the future of Malaysian filmmaking, that viral marketing will play a major role in expanding and causing the maturation of Malaysian cinema in an international stage.
Therefore, awareness has to be raised for works that are deserving, appreciation has to be given when necessary, criticism has to be given as a necessity. I wish more people can watch 18? not because I am so blown away by its greatness that I want to share this with everyone, I have my complaints, not with the content, but more with presentation, so pampered by the (seemingly) slick production values attempted by film students in my own Murdoch University that when I first watched this documentary hours ago, I was slightly disconcerted. To me, it is not a perfect film, many stylistic choices chosen by the filmmaker is not something I agree with, I didn't like the sound mixing, I didn't like some of the framing (I couldn't see some faces clearly because of the light, and angles), and the amount of talking heads used might be too boring for those who are not used to something of such languid pacing.
A film is seldom universally loved, for everyone who lauded 18?, there will always be someone like me who picks at what is regarded as the most superficial aspects of a film, like, well, production values. Yet at least I am still talking about this film.
I am starting a meme for the first time ever. And I'm not sure whether it'll be successful. And because this meme is started by someone who has never started a meme and whether it'll be successful is suspect, I will keep things VERY simple. All you have to do is do any of the following:
- Post Youtube's embeddable player of 18? on your entry.Post a link to Danny Lim's site to download his film. (if you are nice, you can even start a mirror site for him)
- Voice out your opinions about the film , whether it is positive or negative. It can be a line, it can be a word, it can be a paragraph, it can be a fully essay, it's all up to you. No one's going to berate you for your opinions, you don't have to love the film, but at least spread it around.
- Tag three others to do the same.
I was tagged by The Great Swiftyto do this. Mummy always teach that to build ties between bloggers, we must reply to memes. (I've been a bad girl as I still have one from my brother and from Kai-Linwhich I have not yet done. I think I've got a one year old plus plus one from Fashionasia about shoes...hmm.)
So if independant film making is your cup of tea, go ahead and spread the love.
