The Freedom Film Fest is back again this year in Penang. Got news of it this evening from Michelle. The thing about me is that I love all these underground/alternative sort of movies. Things I normally don’t get to see on regular TV. Or perhaps too ‘outrageous’ to be shown on TV.
When I was at the Actors Studio Greenhall last year, I caught some of the best if not more controversial movies. I remembered I watched them alone too, after a too-salty chicken rice lunch. Despite feeling awfully thirsty, I sat through an afternoon of movies because the topics provoked me into thinking about certain issues like what it is like to be a woman or what exactly are my rights?
It’s definitely not your regular movie night where you sit back and laugh. These are movies which question your beliefs, stance and opinions. After a movie is screened, the lights come on and the audience discuss the movie they experienced. Last year, I watched some surprising discussion in action. If anyone says Malaysians are a docile bunch, let them come and experience the discussions for themselves!
The Freedom Film Fest is happening today, tomorrow and Sunday (21, 22 and 23 Sept) at the Actors Studio Greenhall Penang.
Get more movie synopses and details at the KOMAS website. This is what they say on their website: “The FreedomFilmFest2007 (FFF07) is an annual yearly festival that includes a series of video activism workshops, exciting dialogue sessions with social film makers, film competition, and a 3-day film fest! We DARE you to come and watch!”
Ooooh. I love being dared. But honestly, these movies can be rather unsettling. I probably started thinking a lot more after I saw them. Which is a good thing all together. We need a jolt now and then to become more human.
I’m excited about watching Indrani Kopal’s “She’s My Son”, a movie about transgendered persons. I am sure it is a movie worth pondering over! I’m also quite curious to watch Ong Boon Keong’s movie for two reasons – I know him (but then again, who doesn’t know Ong?) and he’s a Penangite. Although he is soft-spoken, I am sure his movie about the clan jetties in Georgetown will be nothing short of hard hitting. Read the movie synopses here too if you want, just to have an idea what you’ll be seeing.
You can read about my outing last year at the Freedom Film Festival here.
But it’s happening tonight, whole of tomorrow and whole of Sunday. The organisers dare you to watch the short films.
Me, I am going tonight and perhaps tomorrow night. It may not be popcorn and coke night but I am going to totally enjoy the short films!
Bought a video (DVD) on the penan struggle. Ong mentioned you could catch his short movie “Bo Lang Chai” at the clan jetty community hall…i’m still wondering where the jetties are. I must have seen them somehow.
Anyone wanna watch the Penan one, let me know…i’ll be happy to share. Cheers!
HI there Maya …
Just like to hear your comment abt “She is my son” … was the film worth pondering over? do let me knw … so, I can improve my upcoming short-film …
Cheers,
Indra.
Director of “she’s my son’
Hi Ai Lee: I caught the last 20 minutes of the Penan struggle. Very thought-provoking! Like you, I even bought the DVD and got the 2 film-makers to autograph it. It strikes a chord with Nic coz he’s from Sarawak. It made me rather sad too to think that we don’t even know this issue!
Hi Indra: I enjoyed your movie. Like I mentioned when we were chatting after the screening, I think the choreographed part at the end didn’t quite gel. It should have been at the beginning before the film – symbolically to allow us to know what was coming. Sort of like an hor doeuvre. I liked your film for its honesty!