The renowned writer, book publisher and filmmaker, Amir Muhammad, 48, is no stranger to Malaysians.
His critically acclaimed films often address the socio-political issues of the people and have been screened in numerous international film festivals.
Here’s a list of five films that he recommends Malaysians watch in conjunction with Malaysia Day.
1. Jalan Pintas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTQz_J3BGeU&ab_channel=KiniDia
“Jalan Pintas is a socialist-realist exploration of how working-class people are screwed over by the system,” says Amir.
The 70-minute film revolves around Bakar Najib, an engineering graduate who leaves his kampung for Kuala Lumpur in order to help support his mother and younger sister.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Namron, the audience get a glimpse of a fateful day in Bakar’s life as he goes through the travails of life in the indifferent capital city.
In line with the title, the film is cleverly told through both a metaphorical and literal “jalan pintas” (shortcut), which results in a similar dead end.
A failure to own up to one’s own shortcomings, projecting frustrations with the system onto foreign workers, nepotism and misconceptions of racial stereotypes are some of the issues the film tackles.
“Jalan Pintas is one of the best Malaysian feature films of this century. It has been 10 years since its release, yet not enough people know about it,” says Amir, before adding that he prefers this to “One Two Jaga”, an award-winning film of a similar genre that’s also directed by Namrom.
Watch the full movie here.
2. Ninavau
Ninavau is a short film by prize-winning Sabahan filmmaker, Bebbra Mailin. “It tells of how race and religion can be divisive in a family, even in ‘Keluarga Malaysia,’” says Amir.
The 12-minute film is centred around Ninavau – a Kadazan woman working in Peninsular Malaysia who is a devout Catholic. A trip back to Sabah however, reveals her change of heart and the subsequent dilemma she finds herself in as she struggles to reconcile her faith with her familial ties.
Ninavau is among the seven films that received the Pesta Filem KITA grant by Projek Dialog, a social development project that promotes healthy debates and greater appreciation of the diverse cultural, ethnic and religious groups of Malaysia.
This short film also bagged the Grand Prize at the Malaysian International Film Festival 2019 (MIFFest 2019) and features a cast and crew made up entirely of Sabahans.
3. Kekasih
Kekasih is a short film by Malaysian-Iranian filmmaker, Diffan Norman, who is based in Los Angeles.
The nine-minute short film shows how a botanical professor comes to terms with the passing of his wife.
Kekasih premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014 and was made possible by a grant by the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia, FINAS.
“Eerie and weird but also sweet and silly, this short by Diffan Norman makes us hyped for his debut feature film SITORA, which is produced by Fangoria Studios,” says Amir.
Watch the full movie here.
4. Guang
Guang is a 14-minute short film directed by Quek Shio Chuan. This heartfelt story centres around an autistic man as he navigates through life.
The audience gets a glimpse of how he struggles to keep up with the daily demands made on him, while allowing himself to be led by the music within his rich inner world.
This short film, inspired by the journey of Quek’s autistic brother, has won many awards at film festivals around the world.
“I prefer this short by Quek Shio Chuan to the feature version he made years later – the ending is a thing of wonder,” says Amir.
A full-length version of this film released in 2018 won the Best Film award at the 59th Asia Pacific Film Festival (APFF).
5. Lonesome
Lonesome is a documentary that portrays the isolation and marginalisation experienced by the LGBTQ+ community in Malaysia.
This is reflected by a quote at the start of the film: “We hear so many people say that they feel caged and isolated during the Movement Control Order (MCO), but as part of the LGBTQ+ community, isn’t that a part of our everyday life?”
This 17-minute film weaves together stories left as voicemail messages, and is made by Justice Khor, a social filmmaker and LGBTQ+ activist.
“There are not that many LGBTQ+ films in Malaysia, and this poignant short by Khor is a perfect match of form and content,” says Amir.
Films have an undeniable power of allowing us to vicariously experience the life of another, while facilitating understanding, love and acceptance among the fellow humans we share a nation with.
Happy Malaysia Day!
Amir’s Matahari Books will be releasing Farish A Noor’s latest book: “The Long Shadow of the 19th Century: Critical Essays on Colonial Orientalism in Southeast Asia”.
You may pre-order the book via Shopee.