Please proceed to Rahmat’s BLOG to read about his take on making this documentary.

The S-Ploited present No Silver Lining: The Perak Crisis. It’s a film about – still – everyone’s favourite horrifying political development, the frog-filled Perak state assembly take-over.

Sigh. Let’s refresh our memory, shall we?

1. In the March 2008 general election, the Pakatan Rakyat coalition won the state of Perak by a 3-seat majority.

2. On 25 January 2009, Umno member Nasarudin Hashim (and state assemblyman for Bota, Perak) left his party for the greener pastures of PKR. (Hop.)

3. By the end of January, PKR members Jamaluddin Mat Radzi (Behrang) and Mohd Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering) go missing. On 3 February, both declare themselves independents, shorn of official party affiliations. (Hop-hop.)

4. …..

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

In the first week of December 2008, two convoys of bicycles set off from Alor Setar and Skudai. Aside from protective gear, the cyclists sported red T-shirts – these identified them as participants of the “People – The Force of Change” campaign. For the next two weeks, they became Public Menace No 1.

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

Hang on. Memali?

Pay attention: on 19 November 1985, hundreds of police personnel, under then- Home Minister Tun Musa Hitam, laid siege to Memali, Kedah, on the grounds that a deviant Islamic sect, lead by one Ibrahim Mahmud, had infected the village.

To read the rest of the article, please head to KLUE’s website HERE.

KOMAS FREEDOMFILMFEST2009

Kuala Lumpur, Friday, 2nd October – The KOMAS FreedomFilmFest2009 is back once again for the 6th year, screening social and human rights films from Malaysia and around the world, including the premiere of FreedomFilmFest2009 winning documentaries! The annual campaign to promote and highlight socially conscious film-making and films about human rights began today at The Annexe, Central Market.

The annual festival invites members of the public to participate in the festival through a series of captivating film screenings, workshops and engaging open dialogue sessions. This year, KOMAS will be presenting 23 heart-moving, eye-opening, award-winning human rights documentaries, over 3 days in 4 states.

Among the documentaries to look out for is “AT STAKE”, a brave and eye-opening documentary tackling taboo issues faced by Indonesia women. Producer Nia Dinata, who is also the director of the highly acclaimed film “Berbagi Suami” will also be present during the it’s screening at the opening night.

The theme for this year ‘Real Change?’ is to highlight the reawakening of the people’s power ever since the March 8 general elections last year. With this year’s theme, FreedomFilmFest hopes to unearth real stories about ordinary Malaysians and how they perceive the changes happening around them. Among many other films, this is also brought to us with the THREE winners for the annual FreedomFilmFes film proposal competition who will also have their films premiering during the festival.

The films are: ‘No Silver Lining: The Perak Crisis’ by The S-ploited, which tries to comprehend the political crisis which is happening in Perak currently; ‘Al Fatehah Memali’ by Rahmat Haron, which portrays the journey of singer-songwriters, Black and Meor, trying to comprehend a massacre that happened in 1985 in Kg. Memali, Kedah and ‘Kayuh’ by Soh Sook Hwa, which is a first-hand account of a 100-strong contingent of cyclists 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.

For the past five years, Pusat KOMAS, a Malaysian human rights media center, and also the organizer of FreedomFilmFest, has been promoting social and community films committed to the ideals of human rights, social justice and equality. Through an annual film competition, workshops and screenings, FFF hopes to showcase outstanding films and documentaries focusing on social issues that affect ordinary people like HIV/AIDS, human rights, poverty and the environment usually not featured by the mainstream media.

FreedomFilmFest, which over the years earned a strong reputation for providing an open platform for critical discussions among different sectors of the Malaysian public.

1) THE ANNEXE, CENTRAL MARKET, KUALA LUMPUR: 2 OCT – 4 OCT, 2009
2) HAN CHIANG COLLEGE, PENANG: 9 OCT – 11 OCT, 2009
3) CHUNG HUA MIDDLE SCHOOL 1, JALAN PENDING, KUCHING: 23 OCT – 25 OCT, 2009
4) TROPICAL INN, JOHOR BAHRU: 29 OCT – 1 NOV, 2009

For more information on our festival, please visit www.freedomfilmfest.komas.org

For further inquiries:
Maisarah Muhd Najib, FreedomFilmFest Coordinator,
Tel/Fax: 03-79685415
HP: 017-3749887
Email: freedomfilmfest@komas.org

Find out what’s really At Stake for women in Indonesia today!

LAUNCH & OPENING FILM for FREEDOMFILMFEST2009

Friday, 2 October 8pm @ The Annexe, Central Market

–
Pertaruhan (At Stake)

“At Stake” is a documentary anthology of four stories by five directors on politics and discourse about women in Indonesia. Topics explored include the practice of women circumcision in Indonesia, another observes two women serving sex at night on the hard surface of Chinese graveyards while hammering rocks during the day to make ends meet.

Another film also sees three unmarried women who try to get treatment for their reproductive issues, and the last film focuses on two migrant workers in Hong Kong facing different dilemmas: Rutiwat must choose between staying a virgin or damaging her health, and Rianti ponders the possibility of coming out of the closet when she is back in Indonesia.

“AT STAKE explores innovative non-fiction story telling of Indonesian women’s contemporary issues. The woman’s body has been taken for granted too long and too often. The body is never discussed, nor openly mentioned. Especially in Indonesia, the woman’s body is regarded as the door to sin. It takes an entire lifetime for women to accept their body with lightness that it is natural and logical. Silence is only adding to more misleading beliefs and leading to fatal decisions by law makers that put women on the edge.” – Nia Dinata, Producer.

–

For inquiries and reservations of FREE passes, please email freedomfilmfest@komas.org or call 017-3749887.

Full festival listings HERE

Presenting 23 heart-moving, eye-opening, award-winning human rights documentaries from Malaysia and around the world, over 3 days in 4 states. Each screening will be followed with a discussion session with filmmakers & resource persons.

[TABLE=2]

* 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. Name
2. Contact tel. no and email
3. Title of film/time of session that you would like to watch
4. Number of passes needed
5. In which state (KL, PG, JB, or KUCHING)

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.

WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR?

COMMUNITY VIDEO FORUM & SCREENINGS (Friday, 2.00-6.00pm) *KL only

Community Video Forum & Showcase will be bringing to you a sharing session of experience and video showcase between community filmmakers and activists from Malaysia and around the SEA region who use video for community organising.

*Pre-registration required as seats are limited. Priority to NGO and community activists.

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.

*Producer NIA DINATA, who is the director of the movie “Berbagi Suami” and also a renowned Indonesian feminist will be present in KL for Q&A session after the screening.

PREMIERE OF FFF2009 WINNING FILMS! (Saturday, 7pm)

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. Name
2. Contact tel. no and email
3. Title of film/time of session that you would like to watch
4. Number of passes needed
5. In which state (KL, PG, JB, or KUCHING)

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.

Catch the FreedomFilmFest2009!

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

2-4 OCTOBER 2009, The Annexe, Central Market KL
9-11 OCTOBER 2009, Han Chiang College, Penang
23-25 OCTOBER, Sekolah Menengah Chung Hua No.1, Kuching
30 OCTOBER-1 NOVEMBER, Tropical Inn, Johor Bharu

* 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. Name
2. Contact tel. no and email
3. Title of film/time of session that you would like to watch
4. Number of passes needed
5. In which state (KL, PG, JB, or KUCHING)

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.