Film Studies II: 15 Malaysia (2009)

15Malaysia is a short film project released in 2009. It consists of 15 short films made by 15 Malaysian filmmakers. These films are focus on the socio-political issues that happened in Malaysia. For example, Potong Saga directed by Yuhang Ho, Chocolate directed by Yasmin Ahmad, The Tree directed by Amir Muhammad, House directed by Linus Chung and etc. These films also feature some local actors, musicians and top political leaders such as Namewee, Adibah Noor and Y.A.B. Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

As Malaysia film industry is still growing, local filmmakers have their own focus to present their ideas in the form of film. Some of them concerned with the younger educated generation and their misconception of religion. Some of them concerned with corruption and politics. Some of them expounding family values and morals. Some of them concerned with how individuals adapted to their environments whereas some of them intrigued with ethnic relationships and interracial love.

Among the 15 films, the one I like the most is Chocolate by Yasmin Ahmad. I feel like this concept is quite similar to Sepet (2005), which also directed by him. The short film is around 3 minutes long, starts with a mother complains about her son who refuse to go to study oversea. Then a Malay girl visit their grocery shop to buy battery and chocolate. Unfortunately she has not enough money and the mother starts to yell at her son, so the son just ask the Malay girl don’t buy it if she couldn’t afford. From this short film, I think that Yasmin Ahmah is trying to show the ethnic relationships issue in Malaysia. For example, the mother said “People like us don’t get opportunity here. This land is only for their kind, not us”. This represent the Chinese always think that our government is not fair. They always help the Malay but not others ethnics. The mother also called the Malay girl as “那个马来婆”, this might sound normal in English, but it’s really rude in Chinese. This shows the old generation’s views are affecting the youngster. Our country is still growing, we must respect each other but not to discriminate against others.

Another short film that brings out moral value is House directed by Linus Chung. The film is about an Indian boy is asked to build a model of his house at school. This boy only managed to build the house with old cupboards as he comes from a poor family and his family cannot afford him to buy new materials. When he presents his house model in front of class, his classmates and teacher laugh at him because the model is very small and rough compared to others classmates who are rich. Then, he is being bullying by others students because he is poor and weak. This is a tale on the social economic plight faced by many Malaysians. We should not treat people by their skin colour or identity. The teacher in film also show a bad example. He shouldn’t tease the boy in front of the class. As an adult, he should teach the students to respect others’ dream but not lead them to laugh at another child.

In conclusion, every filmmaker has their own way to express their love and feeling to the country. Although the content of the film looks sensitive sometimes, but that is the way they experienced in this country. This also shows that people concerned about the issues that happened in our mother land.