The results are out!!

Congrats to the winners of the FFF2010 film proposal competition!

From left: Siti Nurbaiyah, Sheridan Mahavera

Journalist and freelance writers, SHERIDAN MAHAVERA SHAKIR and SITI NURBAIYAH NADZMI for “Kuil“, their proposal to unearth the real story behind the protest against the relocation of a HIndu temple in Shah Alam.

From left: Loo Que Lin, Abri Chupil

Former student activist, LOO QUE LIN, for “Campus Elections“, which takes a closer look at democratic processes in student council elections at local public universities.

ABRI CHUPIL, an Indigenous from the Semai community in Bidor, Perak, for his proposal “Hak Dinafikan“, giving voice to the concerns of grassroot Indigenous communities over customary land rights in Malaysia.

Judges and observers from Delegation of European Union to Malaysia and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung exchanging thoughts.

The 3 winners were selected by a panel of 4 able judges from 30-over applicants received for this year’s competition. Judges are Dr Mustafa K. Anuar, Associate Professor, Dept of Comunication, Universiti Sains Malaysia; Ms. Leow Puay Tin, writer and Head of Department of Performance and Media at Sunway University College, Mr. Martyn See, a Singaporean-based activist and documentary filmmaker and Ms. Anna Har, creative director of Big Pictures Production and board member of KOMAS.

Each winners will receive a grant of RM6,000 as well as support from KOMAS to produce their films. These films will be premiered in the 7th FreedomFilmFest, October 2010. Watch out for interviews and updates on the production with the respective winners!

The FreedomFilmFest film proposal competition is officially closed!

KOMAS would like to thank everyone for the submission and support throughout the competition stage. Do check back this space to see what exciting films can we expect for this year’s FreedomFilmFest annual film festival!

KOMAS FreedomFilmFest is proud to announce that the winning film of FreedomFilmFest2006 ‘The Invisible Children‘ by Hariati Azizan, has been invited to enter the Australian Refugee Film Festival. The Australian Refugee Film Festival is held in Sydney, Australia and coincides with Refugee Week, June 20th to June 26th.

Synopsis: In Malaysia, there are about 9,000 refugee children living in the fringes of our society, leading a marginalized existence. These children are denied access to adequate education, which is imposing a poor prospect for their future. Even if they are receiving some schooling, they are usually relegated to substandard educational facilities, poorer quality of instruction and fewer teaching materials, let alone getting any opportunities for higher education.

To get download links for this documentary, please visit Engagemedia.org. You can also inquire about getting a DVD version by emailing freedomfilmfest@komas.org.

For further information regarding the Australian Refugee Film Festival, please visit their official website HERE.
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Selepas Tsunami (After The Tsunami)

Director/ Pengarah: Anna Har
Producer/Penerbit: Big Pictures for KOMAS
Duration/Masa: 36 minutes

FILM SYNOPSIS Sinopsis Filem
The 12th general election did not only result in the change of government in four states or the lost of Barisan Nasional two-thirds
majority in Parliament.

It brought along many practices never seen before in the government system.

In Selangor a body under the state assembly was formed to monitor the use of public funds.In the federal Parliament the increase presence of opposition representatives has resulted in more serious debates.

Today Umno and Barisan Nasional has started speaking the language of change. However, the real reform process is not as easy as voting on polling day.

This documentary discusses the meaning behind those promised changes.

Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-12 bukan setakat melibatkan perubahan empat kerajaan negeri atau kehilangan kuasa dua pertiga Barisan Nasional di Parlimen. Malah, ianya telah membawa pelbagai amalan yang sebelum ini tidak wujud dan tampak asing dirasakan oleh rakyat buat julung kalinya.

Dokumentari ini menggambarkan maksud di sebalik perubahan yang sering dicanangkan.

For more information about this documentary and for updates on latest screenings, please email info@komas.org or visit http://www.komas.org.

If you missed our screening of AT STAKE throughout the FreedomFilmFest2009 Screenings, here’s your chance to watch the documentary!

In conjunction with the International Day Against Violence Against Women, Amnesty International Malaysia will be screening Chants of Lotus (Perempuan Punya Cerita) and At Stake (Pertaruhan).

Date: 25 Nov, Wednesday
Time: 5pm to 10pm

The final run of FreedomFilmFest2009 was held last weekend at Tropical Inn Johor Bahru. Prior to the 3-day festival, KOMAS also had a GADOH film screening for the first time in the state at Southern College.

The start of the 3-day festival saw Dr. Rani Padma, Imm. Past President of Soroptimist International giving a short opening address. Executive Director of KOMAS, Tan Jo Hann also facilitated the discussion sessions over 3-days.

KOMAS is also glad to see the number of FreedomFilmFest2009 followers getting bigger in JB! The FreedomFilmFest2009 would not be possible without the continuous support from our regulars and new followers. And especially to those who came in groups and sat down with us all day and night not missing a single discussion session that we had! And for that, we are grateful and glad that the democratic space we are opening up for people to watch relevant social documentaries and have discussions after is appreciated by others.

Filmmaker Choon Hiong also came down all the way from Singapore for the screening of his film All That You Can’t Leave Behind. He shared his experience on how he got involved with activism and his experience in documenting his film.

If you have missed your chance and are regretting for not buying this year’s FFF2009 T-shirts (by donation RM20) or would like to get more information on this year’s winning films, please email freedomfilmfest@komas.org !

FreedomFilmFest2009 was in Kuching for the second time last weekend! FFF2009, which was launch Friday night at KINGWOOD INN this year saw regulars from last year and newcomers alike to watch the series of documentaries KOMAS has to offer throughout the weekend.

We were also lucky to have one of the cyclists from the JERIT campaign to be with us on Saturday night during the premier of the FreedomFilmFest2009 winners! Not only that, filmmaker Hillary Chiew was also present to facilitate the discussion after the screening of her film Delaying Justice which touches on various local issues based in Sarawak.

We would like to thank everyone who turn up for FreedomFilmFest2009 and we hope to see you next year again!

FreedomFilmFest2009 will be screened in JOHOR BAHRU next weekend from Oct 30 – Nov 1 2009.

Presenting 23 heart-moving, eye-opening, award-winning human rights documentaries from Malaysia and around the world, over 3 days in 4 states.

30 OCTOBER-1 NOVEMBER, Tropical Inn, Johor Bharu

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR?

LAUNCH CEREMONY & OPENING FILM (Friday, 8 pm)

The 6th FreedomFilmFest2009 will be launched with the screening of AT STAKE, a brave and eye-opening documentary tackling taboo issues faced by Indonesian women. This anthology covers issues of female genital mutilation, unmarried women’s experiences at the gynecologist, prostitution, and the sexuality of a migrant worker.

PREMIERE OF FFF2009 WINNING FILMS! (Saturday, 8pm)

Al-Fatehah Memali by Rahmat Haron
This film portrays the journey of singer-songwriters, Black and Meor, trying to comprehend a massacre that happened in 1985 in Kg. Memali, Kedah. Their journey brings them to the village where they meet survivors and witnesses of the tragedy to uncover a forgotten story of injustice for most of Malaysia, but one forever etched in the hearts of those in Memali.

Kayuh by Soh Sook Hwa
This film is a first-hand account of a 100-strong contingent of cyclists in the JERIT cycling campaign who rode from Alor Setar and Johor Baharu to Kuala Lumpur for 16 days in order to address 6 major concerns of marginalized groups in Malaysia.

No Silver Lining: The Perak Crisis by The S-ploited.
What happens when “frogs” jump over to the other side? In Perak, when 3 elected representatives of the Pakatan Rakyat ‘hopped” over to become BN friendly, it started a political wrestling match for power between the two opposing political alliance.

* Entry is FREE but strictly by invitation only as it is a closed-door private event.

For inquiries and reservations of passes, please email freedomfilmfest@komas.org or call 017-3749887, with the following information:

1. FULL NAME
2. HP NUMBER
3. EMAIL
4. TITLE OF FILM
5. AMOUNT OF PASSES NEEDED

For full listing and schedule please click HERE.

Disclaimer:
Selection of films and program of the festival are the sole responsibility of the organising committee of the FreedomFilmFest. The venue providers are not involved in this process of selection and cannot be held accountable.

The FreedomFilmFest2009 Winning films will be screened as part of the ARA Music Fest Vol 2 this weekend!

Date: 23 October 2009
Time: Midnight!
Venue: BUKIT KIARA EQUESTRIAN CLUB

KOMAS’s latest feature film, GADOH will also be screened the next day!

Date: 24 October 2009
Time: Midnight!
Venue: BUKIT KIARA EQUESTRIAN CLUB

For more details, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=182238470030

Source: The Star Online

A gutsy film festival shows how we can create a better world with nothing more than a cheap video camera, a computer and some dedication.

WHAT does the privatisation of our water supply have to do with Perak’s political controversies? How does possible poisoning from a gold mine in Raub relate to big oil palm companies grabbing land from the Ibans of Sarawak?

They all come together in the Freedom Film Fest (FFF) 2009, a showcase of “social documentaries” now into its sixth year in Malaysia.

To read the rest of the article, please click HERE.

Source: The Star, 18 October 2009.