True, it's the Singaporean rather than Malaysian Berita Harian , but it's still nice, considering none of our local papers has written anything about it.
Showing posts with label MALAYSIAN GODS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MALAYSIAN GODS. Show all posts
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Malaysian Gods in Berita Harian
True, it's the Singaporean rather than Malaysian Berita Harian , but it's still nice, considering none of our local papers has written anything about it.
Friday, 8 May 2009
Now on DVD: "Malaysian Gods"
It's riiiight heah!
With this, I will take a break from movie-making for a few years. (And shut up you in the back who said: "Why stop at a few?"). Writing and publishing will take up most of my time from now on. There's also a dream of opening a shop ... but we shall see where that goes.
It feels nice to have Malaysian Gods as my final movie for some time. It's a work in which I was not trying to prove any points; I was just hanging out in the spaces (both physical and historical) that have meant something to me, but which can still surprise me. I hope that those who watch it can get something out of it, too.
Nandri!
Monday, 4 May 2009
MALAYSIAN GODS: screening and futuristic talk
Malaysian Gods screens this Thursday :-)
Venue: KL Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, Jalan Maharajalela, KL:
There will be a panel discussion after the screening by Elizabeth Wong (Parti Keadilan Rakyat), Arul (Parti Sosialis Malaysia) and (we hope) an UMNO Youth representative who has yet to confirm. The session will be chaired by myself.
The panel will put on their futuristic glasses. We all know what happened in 1998 and 2008, but what will the country be like in 2018?
Sunday, 19 April 2009
After the premiere
The Singapore censors gave an M18 rating to Malaysian Gods just a day before the screening, and tickets were sold out an hour beforehand. Since there was no lesbian sex (!) I wonder what's in it that can possible be unsuitable for those 17 and below.
What make this event special, and in fact quite unprecedented in the 22-year history of the Singapore International Film Festival, is that a special police permit was required for the talk in conjunction with the screening! It was finally given at 9am, two and a half hours before the event. So I must thank the festival director Zhang Wenjie and coordinator Jasmine Ng for their perseverance.
We were only allowed to talk for 30 minutes, before rather than after the documentary. So this is the first time I have given a Q & A before a screening. Surprising Singapore, indeed!
Stefan got the whole session on video here. His impressions of the documentary itself are here.
Quirky bureaucracy aside, it's always a pleasure to screen at this festival, and it was nice to see familiar faces like Tan Pin Pin and Ben Slater.
This is the second festival in a row (after Mexico last month) where I didn't watch a single other film, but instead caught up with friends old and new.
I won't be attending the next festival screening (Italy in June) as I will be completing a book. In the meantime, more Malaysian screenings are planned.
What make this event special, and in fact quite unprecedented in the 22-year history of the Singapore International Film Festival, is that a special police permit was required for the talk in conjunction with the screening! It was finally given at 9am, two and a half hours before the event. So I must thank the festival director Zhang Wenjie and coordinator Jasmine Ng for their perseverance.
We were only allowed to talk for 30 minutes, before rather than after the documentary. So this is the first time I have given a Q & A before a screening. Surprising Singapore, indeed!
Stefan got the whole session on video here. His impressions of the documentary itself are here.
Quirky bureaucracy aside, it's always a pleasure to screen at this festival, and it was nice to see familiar faces like Tan Pin Pin and Ben Slater.
This is the second festival in a row (after Mexico last month) where I didn't watch a single other film, but instead caught up with friends old and new.
I won't be attending the next festival screening (Italy in June) as I will be completing a book. In the meantime, more Malaysian screenings are planned.
Monday, 23 March 2009
"Malaysian Gods" at UiTM Shah Alam this Wed.
MALAYSIAN GODS
Malaysia / 2009 / 70 Minutes / in Tamil with English subtitles
Wednesday / 25 March 2009 / 8.10pm
Studio Pancha Delima, Academic Building, UiTM Kampus Puncak Perdana
*The director Amir Muhammad will be in attendance for Q&A
FREE Admission / ALL are welcome
Organised by FACT FILM SCREENING CLUB
FACULTY OF ARTISTIC & CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY (FACT)
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
Thursday, 12 March 2009
"Malaysian Gods" premiere & discussion in Singapore International Film Festival
World Premiere
MALAYSIAN GODS/2009/70min/Tamil with English subtitles
In September 1998, Anwar Ibrahim was sacked as Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. His expulsion and subsequent trial for corruption and sodomy triggered a wave of street protests that gave birth to the 'reformasi' (reformation) movement.
Malaysian Gods revisits the actual locations of the demonstrations, about a decade later, and talks to the people who are living and working there to find out what has changed since then.
An informal seminar titled "Post-Reformasi Malaysian Society and Cinema" will be held before its world premiere to discuss the forces which helped to bring about that unprecedented movement in Malaysian society, its impact on artists and the young, as well as changes that have taken place in national cinema since then.
The panelists are Dr. Ooi Kee Beng of the Institute of South-East Asian Studies (ISEAS) (author of, among others, The Reluctant Politician: Tun Dr. Ismail and His Time), Charlene Rajendran (writer of the forthcoming Taxi Tales on a Crooked Bridge), and Malaysian Gods director Amir Muhammad.
Tickets (S$9.50) go on sale this weekend for the general public! Booking link here. Hope to see you there :-)
Event: 22nd Singapore International Film Festival
Venue: Guinness Theatre, The Substation
Date: 18 April, Saturday
Time: 11.30am
Friday, 30 January 2009
"Malaysian Gods" restricted by the Censorship Board
Details at The Nut Graph here.
So I will be arranging screenings in colleges and so on. Any takers? :-)
I have not made international film festival plans for it. I'd rather it be seen by Malaysians first.
So I will be arranging screenings in colleges and so on. Any takers? :-)
I have not made international film festival plans for it. I'd rather it be seen by Malaysians first.
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Free screening of the final version of MALAYSIAN GODS
Synopsis:
For a period of a year from September 1998, public demonstrations were held in Kuala Lumpur in the wake of the sacking of Anwar Ibrahim as Deputy Prime Minister. This was the core period of what was known as the 'reformasi' era. Malaysian Gods takes us back to the iconic KL landmarks where the demonstrations took place, and speaks to people there about their lives, hopes and fears. Interestingly enough, everyone is speaking Tamil. As with my previous documentaries, archival footage is eschewed in favour of the here and now.
Duration: 70 minutes. Tamil with English subtitles.
Screening details:
8:30pm. Friday, 16 January.
HELP University College auditorium., Pusat Bandar Damansara KL.
Admission: Free. No need for reservations. But donations will be collected for Mercy Malaysia's relief campaign in Gaza. (Further details at Yasmin Ahmad's blog) The cash will be deposited that night itself.
If you can't make it, it will re-screen at 1pm Sunday at KLPac as part of the KLPac Open Day. But I won't be there as I will be in Europe by then. And it has been said (usually by me) that my Q & As are more entertaining than the actual movies.
Do spread the word to anyone who might be interested :-)
* Poster by Alexdrina Chong, who also did the poster for Histeria!
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
It's a wrap!
At 11:30pm, at a Ramly burger stall in Kampung Baru, we wrapped the six-day shoot for the revised version of Malaysian Gods.
It will not use any images from the first version (which screened for one day, and has now been deleted) but it will have about three sentences in common. Other than that, it is much wordier, set in many more locations, covers a year of protests rather than just one day, has a rock score and, oh yes, features interviews that are entirely in Tamil. As such, it is my first Tamil movie.
The Big Durian (2003) had 19 hours of rushes. The Year of Living Vicariously (2005) had 55 -- but to be honest, most of that was because I didn't want to look like the only one on the Gie set who was not running around and working. Lelaki Komunis Terakhir (2006) went overboard with 83 hours and I don't regret a single minute. Apa Khabar Orang Kampung (2007) slimmed down considerably to 20 because we stayed in only one location.
Malaysian Gods (from now this will refer to only this definitive version) is the leanest: we shot only 12 hours. I'm much more precise about what I want now. Perhaps the experience of working on the 35mm Susuk helped. (Even though that film did break the Grand Brilliance record for the most cans of film: 239).
I look forward to showing Malaysian Gods to you in December.
It will not use any images from the first version (which screened for one day, and has now been deleted) but it will have about three sentences in common. Other than that, it is much wordier, set in many more locations, covers a year of protests rather than just one day, has a rock score and, oh yes, features interviews that are entirely in Tamil. As such, it is my first Tamil movie.
The Big Durian (2003) had 19 hours of rushes. The Year of Living Vicariously (2005) had 55 -- but to be honest, most of that was because I didn't want to look like the only one on the Gie set who was not running around and working. Lelaki Komunis Terakhir (2006) went overboard with 83 hours and I don't regret a single minute. Apa Khabar Orang Kampung (2007) slimmed down considerably to 20 because we stayed in only one location.
Malaysian Gods (from now this will refer to only this definitive version) is the leanest: we shot only 12 hours. I'm much more precise about what I want now. Perhaps the experience of working on the 35mm Susuk helped. (Even though that film did break the Grand Brilliance record for the most cans of film: 239).
I look forward to showing Malaysian Gods to you in December.
Sunday, 21 September 2008
After the premiere
Thanks to the 200 of you who turned up for the only screenings of the 20 September 2008 version of Malaysian Gods.
I will not show that version again. In fact, the video and audio files for it have already been deleted.
I am instead rewriting it totally for its DVD release, which I tentatively schedule for 1 November :-) I doubt if it will even have five sentences in common with what we screened yesterday. And I think it will end up being around 80 minutes long. (12 minutes longer than the first version).
It will no longer be a one-take but will use only selected clips from the original footage. So, additional scenes will be shot.
This time, I will narrate the thing myself and it will be a nonstop gabfest!
I will not show that version again. In fact, the video and audio files for it have already been deleted.
I am instead rewriting it totally for its DVD release, which I tentatively schedule for 1 November :-) I doubt if it will even have five sentences in common with what we screened yesterday. And I think it will end up being around 80 minutes long. (12 minutes longer than the first version).
It will no longer be a one-take but will use only selected clips from the original footage. So, additional scenes will be shot.
This time, I will narrate the thing myself and it will be a nonstop gabfest!
Thursday, 11 September 2008
Malaysiakini on "Malaysian Gods"
'Malaysian Gods': Revisiting Sept 20
by Andrew Ong | Sep 11
Malaysiakini
All eyes are on Sept 16 where the winds of change are expected to blow away the ruling coalition from the corridors of power... or at least this is what opposition stalwart Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters claim.
But how many of us remember Sept 20, 1998? This was the date which witnessed the birth of a massive political awakening.
On this fateful day, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Kuala Lumpur to usher in what will later be known as the 'reformasi' movement.
Controversial film producer Amir Muhammad retraces the events in his latest offering, Malaysian Gods.
"Malaysian Gods is something I made to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept 20, 1998 anti-government demonstration in KL.
"The title was chosen because we in Malaysia have a bad habit of treating our politicians like gods. So this is an ironic reference to that. It is certainly not political propaganda but more of a celebration of spaces, including democratic space," he told Malaysiakini.
"What was significant (during the time) was the numbers (who attended the demonstrations). People were collectively just shocked by a lot of things at the time, and they choose to express that shock and outrage in one go," he added.
The 68-minute film begins with an unnamed narrator walking along the same path that the demonstration took, from Masjid Negara to PWTC.
"It starts to rain but he continues walking. He starts to not only reminisce about the demonstration, but to ponder the buildings and people around him," explained Amir.
There are no actors or interviews in the film. Neither is the infamous archive footage of riot police battering hapless protestors used.
"It is not a conventional movie. It has elements of an experimental video, documentary and fiction. I thought it would be more interesting if the narrator was one fictional character whose impressions are made up of a lot of personalities," he added.
Though the film surrounds the tumultuous periods of rowdy street demonstrations, Amir denies that he is attempting to glorify demonstrations or mob rule.
"I think street demonstrations are a vital part of democracy, but it’s different from mob rule. A government can still be one that consists of mob rule even if it bans street demonstrations," he explained.
Unlike his previous movies such as Lelaki Komunis Terakhir and Apa Khabar Orang Kampung, Malaysian Gods had no problems with the Censorship Board and was given the green light on Sept 5, three weeks after submission.
According to Amir, the film cost a modest RM10,000 to make and is produced by independent production house Da Huang Pictures. The film also marks the debut of prominent lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar in the film industry as he is credited as an executive producer.
Screening would be on Sept 20 at GSC 1-Utama, Selangor at 5pm, 7pm and 9pm for one day only. Those who miss it would have to wait for the DVD release later this year.
by Andrew Ong | Sep 11
Malaysiakini
All eyes are on Sept 16 where the winds of change are expected to blow away the ruling coalition from the corridors of power... or at least this is what opposition stalwart Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters claim.
But how many of us remember Sept 20, 1998? This was the date which witnessed the birth of a massive political awakening.
On this fateful day, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Kuala Lumpur to usher in what will later be known as the 'reformasi' movement.
Controversial film producer Amir Muhammad retraces the events in his latest offering, Malaysian Gods.
"Malaysian Gods is something I made to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept 20, 1998 anti-government demonstration in KL.
"The title was chosen because we in Malaysia have a bad habit of treating our politicians like gods. So this is an ironic reference to that. It is certainly not political propaganda but more of a celebration of spaces, including democratic space," he told Malaysiakini.
"What was significant (during the time) was the numbers (who attended the demonstrations). People were collectively just shocked by a lot of things at the time, and they choose to express that shock and outrage in one go," he added.
The 68-minute film begins with an unnamed narrator walking along the same path that the demonstration took, from Masjid Negara to PWTC.
"It starts to rain but he continues walking. He starts to not only reminisce about the demonstration, but to ponder the buildings and people around him," explained Amir.
There are no actors or interviews in the film. Neither is the infamous archive footage of riot police battering hapless protestors used.
"It is not a conventional movie. It has elements of an experimental video, documentary and fiction. I thought it would be more interesting if the narrator was one fictional character whose impressions are made up of a lot of personalities," he added.
Though the film surrounds the tumultuous periods of rowdy street demonstrations, Amir denies that he is attempting to glorify demonstrations or mob rule.
"I think street demonstrations are a vital part of democracy, but it’s different from mob rule. A government can still be one that consists of mob rule even if it bans street demonstrations," he explained.
Unlike his previous movies such as Lelaki Komunis Terakhir and Apa Khabar Orang Kampung, Malaysian Gods had no problems with the Censorship Board and was given the green light on Sept 5, three weeks after submission.
According to Amir, the film cost a modest RM10,000 to make and is produced by independent production house Da Huang Pictures. The film also marks the debut of prominent lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar in the film industry as he is credited as an executive producer.
Screening would be on Sept 20 at GSC 1-Utama, Selangor at 5pm, 7pm and 9pm for one day only. Those who miss it would have to wait for the DVD release later this year.
Saturday, 6 September 2008
'Malaysian Gods' screening details
It will be screened for only one day, Saturday 20 September.
This is because 20 September happens to be the 10th anniversary of the demonstration that it talks about.
The venue: GSC 1 Utama.
I knew I wanted it to screen in a public space – that is, a real cinema. We initially thought that if we booked the cinema for a 'private viewing', we wouldn't need to go through censorship. But it turns out we still needed a censorship certificate. And yesterday, luckily, we got it! (Although the censors took three weeks to get back to us, which is longer than the norm).
So come along and enjoy the show.
Don't expect agitprop! It's quite a chill-out piece and is about several types of spaces, not just the democratic one. Since I no longer live in KL (not that PJ is far away lah), I also wanted to sum up what I felt about the city of my birth and upbringing. Yes, it also has a twist ending – but perhaps not of the Susuk variety.
There are 3 screenings and they can be purchased now: 5pm, 7pm, and 9pm.
Each screening is limited to 90 people.
This is because 20 September happens to be the 10th anniversary of the demonstration that it talks about.
The venue: GSC 1 Utama.
I knew I wanted it to screen in a public space – that is, a real cinema. We initially thought that if we booked the cinema for a 'private viewing', we wouldn't need to go through censorship. But it turns out we still needed a censorship certificate. And yesterday, luckily, we got it! (Although the censors took three weeks to get back to us, which is longer than the norm).
So come along and enjoy the show.
Don't expect agitprop! It's quite a chill-out piece and is about several types of spaces, not just the democratic one. Since I no longer live in KL (not that PJ is far away lah), I also wanted to sum up what I felt about the city of my birth and upbringing. Yes, it also has a twist ending – but perhaps not of the Susuk variety.
There are 3 screenings and they can be purchased now: 5pm, 7pm, and 9pm.
Each screening is limited to 90 people.
Monday, 25 August 2008
Censorship update
We called the censors today to find out if there is a result for Malaysian Gods.
The spokeswoman said: "They are now watching it for the second time."
This can be seen as good news because, if they wanted to ban it, they certainly wouldn't need to see it more than once.
But the bad news is that maybe they found it as confusing as some people found Susuk!
We hope to have the result by Wednesday.
The spokeswoman said: "They are now watching it for the second time."
This can be seen as good news because, if they wanted to ban it, they certainly wouldn't need to see it more than once.
But the bad news is that maybe they found it as confusing as some people found Susuk!
We hope to have the result by Wednesday.
Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Off to the censors it goes
My new movie Malaysian Gods will be sent to the Malaysian Film Censorship Board today, together with the requisite RM50 fee.
I hope there will be no problems! This is the synopsis:
On 20 September 1998, the recently-sacked Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim headed a massive anti-government demonstration in Kuala Lumpur. A few hours later, he was arrested at his home. Ten years later, an unnamed man walks along the same path that the demonstrators took. He reminisces about the past and notices the buildings and people around him. It starts to rain but he keeps on walking. Will he reach his destination?
Duration: 68 minutes
Budget: RM10,000
I wanted to return to the low-budget starkness of my 6horts. It is a very direct way to communicate but there is (I hope) fun to be had along the way.
The censors will get back to us by 28 August.
I hope there will be no problems! This is the synopsis:
On 20 September 1998, the recently-sacked Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim headed a massive anti-government demonstration in Kuala Lumpur. A few hours later, he was arrested at his home. Ten years later, an unnamed man walks along the same path that the demonstrators took. He reminisces about the past and notices the buildings and people around him. It starts to rain but he keeps on walking. Will he reach his destination?
Duration: 68 minutes
Budget: RM10,000
I wanted to return to the low-budget starkness of my 6horts. It is a very direct way to communicate but there is (I hope) fun to be had along the way.
The censors will get back to us by 28 August.
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