These are the modern Malaysian films that will screen at the Singapore-Malaysian Film focus in Paris which runs from mid-December to the end of February. In addition to these, modern Singapore films and classic films of the studio era (made in Singapore, but usually in Malay) will be shown, aussi.
Click to enlarge:
All events take place at the Pompidou Centre. (Site not updated yet, methinks.) More on the venue here.
I will be there to blab about my very own The Big Durian and Malaysian Gods.
Plus, my talk on Yasmin Ahmad's Films is there on Saturday, 23 January 5:30pm. Entrance is free but space is limited. Oh yes, the French price for the book has been set at 15 Euros and it will be stocked at the Pompidou Bookshop, one of the largest film-related bookshops in France.
In memory of Alexis Tioseco (1981-2009), for Film Comment, this is my Top 10 Southeast Asian feature films of the decade, listed alphabetically:
Batang West Side (Lav Diaz, The Philippines, 2001)
Call if you Need Me (James Lee, Malaysia, 2009)
Demons (Pangarap ng Puso) (Mario O' Hara, The Philippines, 2000)
Eliana, Eliana (Riri Riza, Indonesia, 2002)
Mendadak Dangdut (Rudi Soedjarwo, Indonesia, 2006)
Mukhsin (Yasmin Ahmad, Malaysia, 2006)
A Poet (Puisi Tak Terkuburkan) (Garin Nugroho, Indonesia, 2000) Shutter (Banjong Pisanthanakun & Parkpoom Wongpoom, Thailand, 2004) Squatterpunk (Iskwaterpangk) (*with live musical accompaniment by Khavn and friends) (Khavn, The Philippines, 2007)
Later today, Insya-Allah, I will be leaving for Seoul. Because this Sunday at 7pm, Yasmin Ahmad's Films will have a Korean launch as part of a conference on Asian cinema at the Korea National University of the Arts. Gubra will be shown the day before, and also my documentary The Last Communist. (Those of you who have seen both will know why these two are paired.)
Then on the evening of 9 December, it will have an Indonesian launch as part of the Jakarta International Film Festival, right before the screening of Talentime.
On the evening of Saturday, 19 December, the Singapore launch takes place at a cosy shop called BooksActually:
Sometime in late January (I don't have the exact date yet), I will also talk about the book at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, which is having a focus on the films of Singapore and Malaysia, from the studio era to the present.
The Pompidou might be the toughest for me because the last time I was there, I was with the Filipino film critic Alexis Tioseco, as well as his girlfriend Nika. They were brutally murdered in September in Manila. I remember the date especially because I started writing this book later the same night. Why? Because we always talked about the books we would write; this was my way of keeping in touch with this good, gentle soul.
So if you are in any of those cities during any of those times, do drop by.
The Malaysian launch on Wednesday was fun! Although it was raining heavily, we still managed to fill up the hall. It was especially nice to see many people who were involved in Yasmin's life and films there: family, friends, colleagues ... but those distinctions seemed to evaporate, because she had a way of making many people, even those she'd met recently or infrequently, feel like part of a raucous family.
You can read a report of the launch, complete with video, at the blog Running With Passion. I am very much open to more events such as these in colleges and so on; do contact me if you have suggestions!
The book will be in most bookshops only in December, but if you want it right now, you can get it from:
Wednesday 18 November 3:00 - 4:30pm Level 4, Sunway University College
All are welcome.
Why did I choose this college? Because Yasmin had given a talk there in the last weeks of her life, where the people really loved it. And I knew a college venue would somehow be the most appropriate for this book.
We will also be showing the first video she made for MERCY Malaysia; it is 17 minutes long and I am sure you haven't seen it. (My royalties from the first edition of 3,000 copies will go to the MERCY - Yasmin Ahmad Fund for Children.)
This book has pretty much preoccupied me for the past 2 months. We just sent it to the printer a few hours ago, after making the very last changes. It's sad to let it go, but I am also very curious to know how people will react to it. After all, it's not the most conventional of books. This was the first article to ever appear about it:
If you can't make it to the launch but would like us to post you a copy, you can order by making payment to Maybank 014105120512 (Amir Muhammad); then just email matahari.books@gmail.com with your confirmation and address before 18 November. The price is RM30, with free delivery anywhere in Malaysia. If you want it autographed, let me know who to address it to :-) The books will then be posted on the morning of 18 November.
Right after the Malaysian launch, the book will also have launch events in Seoul (the Korean National University of the Arts), Jakarta, Paris and Singapore. Alhamdulillah!
