Nicholas Snow - an HIV/AIDS awareness advocate.

This interview is an inspiring one where one man tries to make a difference after he learned that he has HIV. This interview appears in the sun on Friday July 15.




Suggested Headline : Serving people with HIV


American Nicholas Snow, 49, was diagnosed with HIV four years ago. He talks to BISSME S about his goal of becoming one of the world’s biggest cheerleaders for HIV testing and safer sex, and giving people living with HIV hope.




What do you do?


I have been a foreign correspondent based in Bangkok for more than five years. I publish my own commercial travel and entertainment websites and freelance for other media; I act and appear in commercials; I sing and write songs; and I am an HIV/AIDS
awareness advocate.




You have started a campaign to raise greater awareness of HIV. What is the campaign about and what motivated you to start it?


On Jan 3, 2008, I tested HIV positive. It was a shock as I had become HIV positive decades into the AIDS epidemic, completely armed with the knowledge to protect myself. In a moment of passion in August 2007, I made a poor decision to have unsafe
sex. Determined to prevent as many people as possible from making the same mistakes, I went public with my story and ultimately created the The Power To Be Strong HIV Testing/ Safer Sex Awareness Campaign.
The cornerstone of the campaign is a music video subtitled in more than 20 languages. I recently officially launched the campaign in Malaysia with Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin subtitles. The video is available for viewing at www.Facebook.com/ ThePowerToBeStrong. Indirectly, the campaign here will also spotlight the lifesaving work of the Kuala Lumpur based Pink Triangle Foundation (www.ptfmalaysia.org). The object of the whole campaign is to inspire
people to take an HIV test and to practise safer sex. Tragically, most people who are HIV positive learn they are because they become ill and seek medical attention way past the point at which medical interventions could have helped prevent illness to begin with. The key is for people who have HIV to know it, stop spreading it,




Will a song make a difference to a person struggling with HIV?


Yes. How many people turn to music in their time of sorrow? How many listen to love songs when they have a broken heart? How many people are inspired by songs such as The Wind Beneath My Wings? Now a song exists to address the fears and concerns of someone who may have HIV. Before I came to Malaysia, I received a message from a Facebook user explaining that only two people in the world know he is HIV positive,
and he went on to say: “I listen to your song every morning and it gives
me the strength to face my day.”
I wrote and recorded the song in 2009. Bruno Brugnano, a leading music producer in Thailand, produced it with beautiful background vocals by Ayano Kimura, and renowned movie and music video director O Nathapon directed the video. The song reaches into the hearts and souls of people and gives them hope. The video is aimed at empowering people worldwide, and I would be honoured if recording artistes want to record the song in their own countries and in their own
language for their own fans, so the message can reach as many people as possible. It is important for people to know they are not alone in this battle.
Many people dealing with HIV feel isolated, lonely, hopeless and sometimes suicidal. My goal is to be one of the world’s biggest cheerleaders, inspiring people to get tested, live longer and be strong.




How many people are involved in the campaign? How is it funded?


I have volunteered basically full time on the campaign for two years, donating my earnings from journalism, acting and web publishing to support the cause, and a small group of key supporters have donated money and time to keep the campaign going. The campaign has reached millions of people worldwide and is
dependent on ongoing donations. Anybody who makes a PayPal donation to Orbit@NotesFrom TheWorld.com will be acknowledged on a Facebook page called The Action Heroes, and anyone who wants to make a major donation may send me a
direct message on my page at www.Facebook.com/Nicholas.Snow


What did you do on first learning you were HIV positive?


I had unsafe sex which resulted in a severe flu-like illness a few weeks
later. I went to one of Bangkok’s major private hospitals and the doctors ruled out the flu. Then I found myself sitting face to face with an infectious disease
specialist who explained that my symptoms could be the result of a recent acute HIV infection. I played dumb. I did not share that I had recently had unprotected sex. I left with a scheduled follow-up appointment, but never showed up for it. I was in denial.


How did you come to terms with your situation then?


Five months later on Jan 3, 2008, I was confirmed HIV positive at an anonymous testing site. One of my new year’s resolutions was to get tested. I still could not believe this had happened to me. I asked myself “why did I have unprotected sex?” The answers: I was depressed at the time and not focused on taking care of
myself. I was with a sexual partner who said and believed he was HIV
negative. I had a false sense of security about remaining HIV negative so far
into the epidemic. None of these are good reasons, but they are human
reasons. After months of soul searching, I decided it was my moral responsibility to tell my story to hopefully prevent others from making the same mistake. I
become a name and face of HIV in a part of the world (Asia) where there are very few HIV positive people who self-identify at the level of press, radio and
television. While I am not Asian, I have become the most visible openly-HIV positive person in Asia in a way that empowers and inspires not only Asians, but
countless people everywhere




What are the greatest misconceptions about HIV?


There are at least three major misconceptions about people living with HIV. First, these people for some reason deserve to have it because of some sort of moral shortcoming. Second, HIV only impacts others and “it won’t happen to me”. Third, one must be promiscuous to get HIV. In fact, it takes only one unsafe sexual
encounter (penetrative sex without a condom) to transmit HIV, and often, people are exposed to HIV by their trusted partner who is unaware they have the virus.
Most Malaysians believe that only intravenous drug users are at risk of HIV when sharing needles, but studies show that 48% of new HIV cases in Malaysia are through
unprotected sexual contact.


Your first advice to someone who finds he or she has HIV?


I would say “you have made the best decision in your life to get tested. Knowing will save your life and allow you to protect your future partners”. HIV is a death
sentence only for people who don’t know they have it, and don’t seek treatment, and
ultimately get AIDS as a result.
Antiretroviral medication is proven to prevent the onset of AIDS for decades, allowing people living with HIV to stay healthy, provided they have access to medication and take it as directed. It is also proven that these medications dramatically reduce by as much as 98% an HIV positive person’s ability to
transmit the virus to someone else, so treatment is prevention.


Tell us about discrimination a person with HIV faces.


There is a tremendous amount of stigma and misunderstanding when it comes to HIV. It causes people to be rejected by their friends, family and loved ones. In many places in the world you can be fired from your job. If you are a foreign worker in Singapore and in many other countries, you will be expelled if they learn you
are HIV positive. Also, many countries do not allow foreigners known to have HIV to enter the country as tourists or for work.


What can governments do?


They can provide access to adequate healthcare and medication for people with HIV. They can work to eliminate forces that foster stigma and discrimination against HIV infected and affected communities, ensuring everyone the fullest opportunity to live open, free and healthy lives.


What is your view of the role the government here has played?


I am totally impressed that in Malaysia the government provides anti-retroviral medication to its citizens living with HIV. In many parts of world, this is not the case, and treatment is not affordable and/or available to people who need it. I congratulate the government for providing the medication to those who need it. They can use the government-owned media to fight stigma against people with HIV/AIDS and promote testing and safer sex.


There are religious figures who have claimed only sinners get HIV and AIDS.


I clearly don’t agree, but regardless of what people think right or wrong expressions of sexuality may be, I think we can all agree that sex happens. It is important to note that many MSM (men who have sex with men) also have wives and girlfriends; so many women are being infected unknowingly by their partners.
HIV is transmitted by people’s behaviour, not their identities. My goal is to encourage anyone who is going to be sexually active to use condoms, and anyone who has had unprotected sex, to have an anonymous HIV screening at a safe place such as the Pink Triangle Foundation. If you look at the spectrum of people who are living with or are at risk of HIV, they come from all walks of life. The reality is we should show everyone living with HIV compassion,
regardless of religious and moral perspectives.


What was your first reaction to realising you were homosexual?


I prefer the term “gay man”. My coming out as a gay man was very similar to others – overcoming unjust shame and guilt because of what I had been taught about gay people; slowly learning to love and accept myself just as I am; and ultimately making a decision to live openly, honestly and powerfully, while hopefully inspiring others to do the same; and expressing gratitude for role models who came before me.


How has being HIV positive changed your life for the better?


In choosing to go public, every day I get to use my life force, my creativity to serve other people. I have no secrets, no fear of people finding out about my status, and no shame. I get to live fully and powerfully every day.


What is the biggest challenge NGOs face in raising awareness of HIV?


I don’t work for an NGO but I know enough about them to answer the question. There is a dramatic shortage of funding at all levels in the battle against HIV/AIDS. The major funding sources, both globally and within countries, do not provide “core funding” to NGOs on the front lines. So while these passionate, dedicated individuals are devoting their lives to helping others, they are constantly struggling to get by.

DATUK DR AHMAD KAMAL ABDULLAH

The interview with the latest national laureate Dr Ahmad Kamal Abdullah or better known as Kemala appeared in the Sun newspaper on July 1, 2011.

Title Enriching literature

DATUK DR AHMAD KAMAL ABDULLAH was recently announced the 11th Sasterawan Negara (national laureate). The 70-year-old poet and writer of short stories, known by the pen name Kemala, has had his work translated into eight languages. The author of Titir Zikir and Pelabuhan Putih tells BISSME S. about taking literature to
greater heights.

What was your first reaction on winning the Sasterawan Negara award?


When a friend of mine first sent me a text that I had been given the award, I thought he was pulling my leg. In the preceding months, the media had been highlighting that 10 men had won the title and that it was the right time to
give it to a woman. So I was surprised when I found out.

Some say female writers have not produced work to qualify for the award.


I disagree; two names immediately come to mind – Dr Fatimah Busu and Dr Zuriana
Hassan. The themes they talked about in their work are very mature and have international appeal. In fact, there are a few non-Malays writers who write in the language such as Lim Swee Tin, who can be considered for this
honour.

There is a belief that there is Malay male domination over the award.

I don’t think there is any kind of dominationor monopoly over the award. Let us not
politicise Sasterawan Negara by bringing in race and gender. Let us give the panel the freedom to select the right candidates for the title. Let us just look at the candidate for his contributions to literature. When the time is
right, a woman and a non-Malay will get the award.

What is your opinion of the development of Bahasa Melayu in the country?

Grammatically, the language is getting weaker. We like to mix Malay with other
languages. Same goes with English. The use of the English Language is also deteriorating in the same way.

Some see English as a colonial language.

People who hold this kind of thought do not value knowledge. The Quran has always
encouraged us to enhance our knowledge, and mastering different languages is one way of doing that. Some Indonesian intellectuals and politicians know more than eight languages. They don’t see mastering different languages as a bad thing. So why should we?

Is it true to say that today’s youngsters are not interested in serious literature?

Yes, they are more into pop culture. Electronic media pushes them in that
direction. If we want serious literature to be popular among youngsters, then our
education system must emphasise it. Serious literature should be
taught from kindergarten.I remember during my school days, we had weekly literature competitions and literary clubs. My friends and I recited poems at these competitions. All these efforts, indirectly, created a love of literature in
us.
In the old days too, when a friend had a birthday, we would make up poems and
recite them as a birthday gift. But now all we do is walk into a
shop and get a greeting card.
In the 60s, a handful of poets and writers got together in Puan Azah Aziz ’s house – she is a culturist who promotes Malay tradition and culture – with an adviser from the Education Ministry.
We brainstormed ideas and even produced a poetry book targeted at children. But we no longer do that sort of thing. Schools could also arrange a meeting
between the Sasterawan Negara and their students.
There could be creative ideas exchanged. The students would likely treasure
moments like these and remember them. The media can also play a role in making serious literature popular among youngsters.

What kind of a role can the media play?

Maybe carry interviews with serious literary figures on ad hoc basis – perhaps once in three months, or better still monthly. This will create more awareness of serious literature.

What is your opinion of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP)?

The government should give serious attention to making DBP a powerful institution, not only for serious Malay literature, but also for serious literature in any
language produced in this country.
DBP should take on the task of translating serious Malaysian literature of different
languages into Bahasa Malaysia. I would like to read what Malaysian Chinese and Indian writers are writing about our country and about us, as Malaysians. The same principle should apply to all native languages in this country. If there
is a book written in Kadazan, then DBP should translate that too.
It could even create an award for Malaysian literature initially produced in different languages. That will encourage more to write in different languages.
DBP should organise solid writing programmes for youngsters in order to produce a new generation of writers who writes serious literature. I expressed this idea to DBP a long time ago and they were keen on it, but I have not seen them acting on making it a reality.
Our themes in serious literature should be broader. In the past, our literature
centred on the survival of the Malays because it was relevant to the times. But now
the survival of Malaysia should be our theme. We should also focus on the lives of the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak to give our literature a wider appeal. But of late, I have seen some positive changes slowly taking place in DBP.

Many Japanese, Indian and Chinese novels have been translated into English and sold worldwide. Do you think Malay literature has the substance to appeal globally

One novel that comes to mind is Shahnon Ahmad’s Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan. But to make a mark globally, having a great theme is not enough. We need to promote the book as well and our promotion is very weak. The terrible thing is that the Malaysian authorities do not give any support to promoting Malaysian literature outside of our country, and I am speaking from experience.
Last April, an Indonesian organiser was promoting two of my poetry books in Jakarta
and I was there for the launch. I had made a polite request to the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta to send at least one of their representatives to the launch to show some support – it would have been great to have someone official from the Malaysian government representing Malaysian literature launched overseas – but no one turned up. I must admit I was a little embarrassed and upset.
(Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan was made into a Cambodian film entitled Rice People in 1994. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was submitted for the 67th Academy Awards. It was the first time a Cambodian film had been submitted as a possible nominee for Best Foreign Language Film.)

What is the biggest change you would like to see in Malaysia?

I live in a multiracial neighbourhood. My neighbour on my left is an Indian and on my right, a Chinese. We get along very well. I want to see more truthful unity among
the races. At this moment, I must say our unity is very artificial. Our tolerance for each other is artificial too. We don’t sit down and sincerely discuss the problems affecting us as Malaysians. We suppress our emotions and real problems and that is not very healthy.

Did anyone inspire you to be a writer?

My mother and my wife. Both these women played an important role in my life. My mother loved reciting poems and telling me folk stories when I was young. She was the first person who exposed me to the world of literature. One of
my fondest memory of my mother was during the fasting month. She and I would go the
nearby forest to find pucuk paku to make nasi ulam.
My wife is my fierce and honest critic. She will tell me honestly when my work is good and when it is not. She gives me constructive criticism so I can better my work.

You have been married 47 years. What is the secret to a lasting marriage?

When she is angry, I will keep quiet, and when I am angry, she will keep quiet. When her anger gets too much for me, I will just leave the house (laughs)

Shekhar Kapur

My colleague Meena and I managed to interview Shekhar Kapur the director who directed amazing films such as Elizabeth and The Bandit Queen when he was in town. The story has appeared in the sun today ( April 8, 2011) Here is the link : http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=59727


Here is the full story


Headline : Shekhar Kapur: A rebel with a cause


THE renowned film director speaks to MEENA L. RAMADAS and BISSME S about his new film on Nelson Mandela, money politics in the Oscars, and more.


MOVIE ON NELSON MANDELA



You were reported to be making a film on the life of Nelson Mandela. What is the latest happening with it?



That film is in a limbo because the producers and I can’t agree on the script. I want the script to be edgy. I didn’t want to make a biopic on his life. A film has to have a point of view. I felt that we shouldn’t make a film like Gandhi. There was no particular point of view in Gandhi.
Mandela’s life has to be able to be related to our lives. So what part of his life is related to ours? The King’s Speech is about a King who stammers and the stammer makes him human. So what makes Mandela human?
He was a reluctant god … he wanted to be a professional boxer … he was a terrorist before he went to prison. But he came out of prison as a man of peace and changed the world. So what happened?


What kind of script are you looking for?



The script was not angry enough. I kept saying let us have a script as if it was written by somebody who suffered an apartheid, then there would be anger in the script.


Do you think the studios want to portray Mandela just as a hero?



The politics of South Africa, at this moment, is probably not ready for this (an edgy script on Mandela). I don’t care about what the world wants.


Why not just agree to whatever the studio wants?



I do not know how to make films except from a certain point of view. Otherwise, they are just documentaries.


HANDLING CRITICS



How do you handle criticism?



You have to stand by it. I got into a lot of serious trouble when I made The Four Feather (based loosely on 1902 novel by British writer A.E.W. Mason). It was a racist book. There were three racist films made about it. The Arabs were called fuzzy wuzies.
The book was about how brave the British soldiers were in Sudan. I made a film about how the British army was not supposed to be in Sudan. They (the British media) called me pro-Muslim because I turned a colonial book into an anti-colonialist story.
At that time 9/11 had not happened. So the Americans, who had experienced the Vietnam War, got it when I said the British should not be in a foreign war and they did not belong there. After 9/11, when you talk about jihad, it sounds different. It is an attack on the Western world. So I faced a big problem there, too. They thought ‘this Indian director is using our money to artistically talk against us’. That was a very strong point of view. But my view was the British should not have been there.
Same with Elizabeth. When Elizabeth came out, the whole press in Britain was in uproar and saying: ‘How can you show the virgin queen in bed with a man?’ But her virginity was a political statement and the statement at that time, is you cannot be feminine and powerful at the same time. A woman in power has to take on the garb of the virgin..


How do you reconcile that with the artistic liberties that you take in your films with historical accounts?



History has taken enough liberties by now. I had this big argument on Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Elizabeth gives a big speech at Tilburry to her troops, on a horse, near the seashore. So this question was asked: ‘This weren’t the words she said. Why did you change them?’ So I said, ‘Do me a favour, go to Tillbury, sit on a frisky horse when there is a big wind and try to talk to 2,000 people without a microphone and tell me how many people heard you’.
There is a famous saying all history is interpreted by the victor. If Germany had won the war, we would have had different history books.
Try and tell the Shiv Sena (a right wing political party in India) that Shivaji was not a great warrior but a guerilla fighter, they will kill you. But look at the history books. He was a guerilla fighter. He would come into the villages, raid, and run away. So, history is always an interpretation. So when you make a film you use some fundamental truths about a character.
Elizabeth was a powerful queen and that was a fundamental truth. So I can’t say she was not powerful. I can say she was perceived to be powerful but inside her and in her private life, she was completely depressive.


How did you come to that conclusion?



That is because of my perception of power. Power isolates you. Power causes schizophrenia and I would expect extreme power is pretty schizophrenic. In politics, you are surrounded by people who only tell you things you want to hear and you suspect that they are not telling you the truth. So you become lonely and afraid because you are removed from reality … you are no longer walking the ground … you are no longer in the street.


Do you think the critics were harsh with the film, because they already had an image of the queen and you did not deliver it?



Yeah. The New York Times said Elizabeth was the MTV genre of Elizabethan life. People said, ‘You didn’t talk about the wit of that time. They were very witty.’ But they had wooden teeth. Their mouths stank. You couldn’t stand next to them. They didn’t bathe for a year. They wore wigs with all kinds of perfumed leaves in them to stop the smell. Now tell me, how witty can you be if you are speaking with wooden teeth and you haven’t had a bath for a year.
In fact, in the coronation scene that I cut out (from the film) has them bringing their own piss pots. The courtly women used to get so drunk that the piss pots were put under the table and they used to lift their skirts and pee, right at the table, sitting there.The idea of the American critics is that they were beautiful women who used to get up and just dance. But they just peed over in their dress, man! That was the reality.
The food was cooked outside where the dogs were peeing. There were no bathrooms. They used to drink a lot and you know what happens when you drink a lot.The reality was that Elizabeth’s castles used to stink so much that every six months she had to move and somebody had to spring clean the whole thing.
So where was this wit and all these Elizabethan things that everybody talked about? In fact now at Cambridge, in the course on Elizabethan and Tudor history, guess which film they show? My film, made by an Indian.


How important is the film critics’ point of view when it comes to your films?



Well, if they like my films, they like it. If they do not like my films then they are wrong.


You seem nonchalant about being criticised. Has any criticism affected you?



If a critic is being honest and bright and makes a good argument, then I will take it seriously. It is not about me being affected, it is about how seriously I take it. When I made Bandit Queen, there was a whole movement against the film, provoked by Arundhati Roy (author of The God of Small Things).
Her argument was that I had taken Phoolan Devi and raped her again in the film. I had to take it seriously because it affected the very fundamentals of the film.
A large part of prevalence of rape in our society all around the world is because the victim is almost shown as the perpetrator of the crime. It is the only crime where one says ‘Oh it is because she was wearing short skirts’ or ‘It was the way she was walking around’. How often have you heard that about rape? It has been going on for centuries.
Here was a woman who actually said ‘No, I am not a victim. This is a crime perpetuated against me.’ Whatever her actions were, whether it was right that she killed 24 people, she refused to accept herself as a victim. Ultimately its analysis demeaned a woman; the very thing I was fighting against.


ON THE OSCARS



You did not get nominated for Best Director for Elizabeth while your film was nominated for Best Film. Were you disappointed?



No. I was so surprised getting all the other nominations (Elizabeth was nominated for seven Oscars in 1999). I wasn’t expecting anything. It was my first English language film.


Do you think politics are involved in Oscars?


Some spend a lot of time and money lobbying for their films but why wouldn’t they? It’s a great marketing strategy. You spend US$15-20 million on Oscar campaigns. But if you won an Oscar, you would get US$200 million back at the box office. It increases your commercial value and you make more money to direct more movies.
The year Elizabeth was nominated, the academy reassessed itself. We all received a little booklet saying that if you are spending a lot of money (on lobbying), we will not consider your film.


Do awards like the Oscars matter to you?



For two weeks, you get invited to all the big parties. But after a while, I was remembered more for the clothes I wore (at the Oscars). Oscars is a fashion statement. It’s the biggest fashion statement in the world. All the designers are there and everyone is wearing designer clothes.


Are you anti-Oscars?



No, I’m not. For every English language film made, there must be 10 non-English films made. And they all get dumped into one category, Best Foreign Language Film. I have seen some amazing films from Africa, China, Korea, Thailand and Japan which I doubt will ever come into the sights of the Oscars. Eighty-five per cent of the world’s cinema never comes into their consideration.
The only films that come to the Oscars are those that are promoted a lot or have an American distribution. Some of the most amazing films are not made in Hollywood right now. Some of the world’s best stories are not told in Hollywood right now. The most expensive films with the highest amount of technology are produced in Hollywood.


BEING AN ARTIST



Are you difficult to work with?



Yeah. Rebellion is inherent in being an artist. It is a form of creativity. Rebellion is one of the greatest provokers of creativity. An artist is always the conscience of society.


Tell us more about your epic film Paani?



I am writing the fifth draft. I took 15 years to pen it. I am going through the throes of a traditional Hindu father in getting his daughter married. Each time she steps out of the house, I call her back and say, ‘A little bit more make up here, maybe a little bit more dressing here.’ Everybody at the studio is fed up with me.


What is Paani all about?



It happens in the not so distant future where groundwater has disappeared, rains are seasonal, global warming has taken place and water has been privatised. So when water becomes privatised, it does not go to where it is most needed, it goes to where it gets the best price. And the best price comes from urban areas and so everyone comes to urban areas, hoping to get some water. It is a call against water privatisation.


You started your career doing Bollywood films. What do you think about Bollywood cinema now?



It is becoming a bit of a parody of itself. It has decided what it is and makes itself like that, rather than breaking out of it and trying something new. Some films (the smaller ones) are trying something new but fundamentally most are becoming prisoners of their own image.
Bollywood used to be more popular around the world but Hollywood has taken over. Local product has taken over. Bollywood in some parts of the world is the oddity or remnants.
I think the younger generation is moving away from it because of globalisation and television shows. Here (in Malaysia) I am surprised to find out that the new generation is adapting to it and liking it.
I think the technology and technical aspects are getting better but they are running out of stories. In a cinema world where songs sell, what kind of stories can you have? The fundamentals of Bollywood rely more on style, fashion and songs, and less on a great story. When the last big Bollywood film came out, I asked the producer to tell me what the film was all about and he told me that there was a great song number.
So what can you say about it? It is about style and dance. In that way, it keeps attracting audiences. But will it ever become a competitor to Hollywood? Not in this form.


What is the misconception about Shekhar Kapur?



Misconception? No there is nothing. I think that is the wonderful thing about having a blog.


ON MAKING FILMS



When you look back on your films, do you think you should have done it differently?



With every film I would say I should have done this differently and I should have done that differently because you are a different person now. Same thing with a script. Till the last minute I will be saying this is not right and that is not right. It all about being creative.


You made a short film, New York I Love You. How different is doing a short compared to a feature film?



You can break the rules of cinema. These are rules defined by custom and culture. The culture of cinema focuses on plot. I was talking to A.R. Rahman (Oscar winner) and sometimes I am jealous of him. When he composes something (music scores for films), he would ask what is the story, and not what is the plot.
It is an emotion when you create a story in your mind. It is so wide that you create your own imagination. It completely provokes your imagination in a much more freer way than the restrictions of a plot.


What was the emotion you tried to convey in that short film?



I am not sure. It was not written by me. It has a strange story behind it. Anthony Manghella (the Oscar-winning director) was going to do that short. He wrote it and fell ill. He asked me if I would direct it and I said OK but I do not quite get the story.
He said: 'I am going in for an operation and when I come out, I will explain it to you.’ But he did not come out – he died. I tried very hard to think about what was in his mind when he wrote it. The only thing he said was that we do not live enough and we have regret. So one of the fundamental emotions in that film was regret … People who regretted they did not do things they should have done.
So (in this short film) there was this woman who was about to commit suicide. But somebody came into her life and committed suicide in front of her. You are never quite sure whether it was a past memory or a past life but she did not commit suicide. It was a film about doing what you want to do, otherwise you will have regrets.


What do you think of New York I Love You compared to Paris, Je’Taime (Both movies had similar theme)?



I think it is a fabulous idea. But New York was not as successful as Paris because the producers tried to string it together. When they did Paris I Love You, they did not try to string it together. In this one, the producers tried to link it to a fundamental theme and I do not think they should have done that. They should let each director say what they wanted to say rather than link it. But we knew they were going to do it and we all agreed to do it.


SOCIAL AVERSIONS



You are strongly against the caste system and have even been called anti-Hindu. What are your thoughts on that?



Every faith gets usurped into rules. I think probably it (the caste system) is one of the biggest evils in Indian society. It is probably one of the most exploitative systems ever designed and it is used to exploit.
There are number of laws that are against the caste system but it so rooted in our (Indian) culture, especially in rural areas. Fortunately in the urban areas it gets lost, because the caste system needs physical space to separate people. When you have a slum and there is no space, people are put together and they adjust.


Did it disturb you that you were branded as anti-Hindu?



Thankfully, in India, Hinduism has not taken up such a large fundamental system, although there are a lot of fundamental Hindu organisations, which I find strange. I find the idea of being a fundamental Hindu strange because how do you define a Hindu? I can define who is not a Hindu.


Your father did not encourage you to be a film-maker? How do you feel about it?



In retrospect, if you asked me today if I could relive my life, I would wish I had gone to film school rather than be a chartered accountant. But I do not know what provoked me when I was an accountant to being where I am now. It is difficult to go back in hindsight because you are a balanced sheet of your life today.


Did that create a ruffle in your relationship with your father?



My relationship with my father was fine. Of course, he was disappointed. But he never imposed himself. He always supported what I wanted to do. My parents were products of Nehru’s generation (Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India).
The Nehru generation grew up with an immense amount of optimism following the new India. The new India that was going to be an India of enterprise … an India of professionals… so everybody wanted to be a professional … because he (Jawaharlal) talked about being doctors, lawyers because that was what India needed.They all came out saying everybody must contribute to the growth of this great dream that Nehru gave everybody.
My father’s brother was one of India’s biggest educationist and my father was a very well known paediatrician. So my father’s question was, as a filmmaker, what do I contribute to society? Because at that time, as Bollywood films were, it was very difficult to find out what they contributed to. So that was his problem.


HEATH LEDGER, THE ACTOR



You were one of the last people to talk to Heath Ledger before he died. Is that true?



Yeah, I think so. We were supposed to meet that night but he said ‘I’m going to sleep now, I am tired and jet lagged’… So he said ‘call me at 9.30 in the morning to wake me up.’ I was supposed to meet him the next morning.


Why were you meeting him?



It was for a film called the Nine O’Clock War. It is about media and war. It is about major media companies getting involved in a war in a third world country. It is about creating an existing war into a reality show. So the war gets turned into a reality show. This is one of the films I wanted him to do with me, he was going to play a young journalist. Heath and I were so close. I wanted to do lots of films with him and he wanted to do lots of films with me.


ON THE NEXT GENERATION



You have a daughter and seeing where this world is heading to, do you worry about her future?



There has never been a generation that did not worry about the next generation. I have concerns because I do not know what is happening to the Internet. When she was living in England, you had to make play dates. I noticed that she and her friends spent so much time on the Internet. The basis of their relationship is through a computer screen.
There is an inherent physiological need to be actively in physical social interaction. We need to look into each others’ eyes. It is not just an expression. It is a reality that is physiologically needed.
We could do this interview over Skype but physical eye to eye contact has a different connotation of the way people relate to each other. Animals physically fight each other when they play. Play is a process of growing up and understanding how to live in society.
Now if this play is consistently performed on Facebook, the Internet or through video games, are you becoming a society of young people that do not have the ability to form real relationships anymore? It is a concern.
Fortunately for her, she lives in India now so she has a lot of social interaction with friends. They are in and out of each others houses. It is not because India does not have technology but they play and they physically interact with each other all the time. In the West I notice they are not doing that. They are not doing that because the larger part of their interactive time is through the screen. How are you going to handle that when you grow up in terms of marriage? You have not gone through the play. You have not gone through the necessary sociological processes that are inherent in every species. It is the isolation of physical relationship in social media that I worry about.
I think social media is a terrific ... an incredible tool. But as a democratic tool, social media is a great tool (as you can see in what happened in Egypt). The fascinating thing about Egypt was that there was no leader of a revolution. When was the last time you had a revolution with no leader?


LOOKING AT DEATH



You seem to have a fascination for death. You have expressed that “death defines everything we do”. Can you explain more?



We do because we die. That is what drives us. Our ambition is defined because we want to do something in a short period of time. If we were immortal, we would be like plants. We would only move two inches. If I could live for a thousand years, I would not make five films in 20 years. I would not do it because I have all the time in the world.


Why do you say this? Is it because you had a near-death experience?



No. It comes from trying to understand yourself … analysing why you do things and acting and reacting in a certain way.

Al-Fatehah Memali

(Pix: Rahmat Haron the film maker of the documentary)

( Pix The Late Ibrahim Mahmud)


On Nov 19, 1985, in which the villagers of Memali in Kedah faced off against hundreds of police personnel. The authorities had received information that a deviant Islamic sect, led by Ibrahim Mahmud (better known as Ibrahim Libya), had influenced the villagers to overthrow the government.


They had wanted to arrest Ibrahim – a scholar who had previously appeared on national television to lecture on Islamic matters – under the Internal Security Act (ISA). He resisted arrest with the locals’ help. Four policemen and 14 villagers died in the ensuing confrontation.


In 2009 documentary titled Al-Fatehah Memali was made that touches on incident and it was showcase at 6th Komas Freedom Film Festival. I interview the documentary maker on his work and the story appeared in the sun dated Oct 1 2009

Here is the full story




Memali side of story
by Bissme S.


POET and painter Rahmat Haron is not making things easy for himself with his first major foray into filmmaking by highlighting a tragic incident in our country’s past.


His 30-minute documentary, Al-Fatehah Memali, recalls that day on Nov 19, 1985, in which the villagers of Memali in Kedah faced off against hundreds of police personnel. The authorities had received information that a deviant Islamic sect, led by Ibrahim Mahmud (better known as Ibrahim Libya), had influenced the villagers to overthrow the government.


They had wanted to arrest Ibrahim – a scholar who had previously appeared on national television to lecture on Islamic matters – under the Internal Security Act (ISA). He resisted arrest with the locals’ help. Four policemen and 14 villagers died in the ensuing confrontation.


"I’m not digging up the past for the sake of being controversial or provocative," says the 32-year-old artist. "My intention is to deal with what happened. We cannot carry any historical baggage with us if we want to move forward.


"It is like dealing with apartheid in Africa or Chinese women who were forced to become comfort women during World War II. We have to discuss these issues openly."


Rahmat was only eight when the Memali incident happened. "But I remember watching the news on television reporting the incident and seeing the police and FRUs with M16 guns moving in.


"I was so scared. I kept asking myself why were the Memali people so dangerous? I was happy that the authorities stepped in to control the situation."


As he grew older, Rahmat learned there was more to the incident. The more he read about it, the more he realised that there was another story that needed to be told.


An advocate for the abolition of ISA, Rahmat believes that the Memali incident was an example of how ISA had been misused.


"To detain someone without a fair trial is inhumane," he says. "ISA is a law that the British colonial masters created and I do not understand why we are continuing this colonial legacy. We have enough existing laws to protect ourselves and we do not need the ISA."


He adds that he is looking at the Memali incident from a human rights perspective. "They (the villagers) were opposing the ISA and some of them died for this. The authorities had accused them of being deviant Islamic militants who wanted to overthrow the government.


"But these villagers were farmers, tappers and schoolteachers. Do you really believe these people were capable of overthrowing the government? The 120 people arrested included women and children who had to spend time in jail."


He adds that the Memali case was quickly settled out of court and the family of the 14 who died were compensated with RM20,000 each.


"There was a White Paper on the incident and a documentary produced by RTM which presented the official version of what took place," he says.


However, he adds that the people of Memali never got to tell their side of the story. "I’m highlighting their voice [in Al-Fatehah Memali]."


One of his most memorable moments making this documentary was when he interviewed Solehah Husin, Ibrahim’s wife.


"She wasn’t emotional when she was telling her story," he says. "I was amazed by her calmness throughout the interview. Maybe, her religious conviction taught her to be patient."


Rahmat tried to get the government to tell its side of story but was unsuccessful in getting an interview with Tan Sri Musa Hitam, who was then acting prime minister and home minister while Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was abroad.


Al-Fatehah Memali was made with a RM5,000 grant from Komas. It will be showcased at the 6th Komas Freedom Film Festival along with a handful of local and international documentaries and short films touching on the topic of human rights, social and environmental justice.


The festival will take place at The Annexe, Central Market Kuala Lumpur (tomorrow to Sunday), Han Chiang College Penang (Oct 9-11), Sekolah Menengah Chung Hua No. 1, Kuching (Oct 23-25) and Tropical Inn, Johor Baru (Oct 30-Nov 1).

Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa/Norman Abdul Halim

Hikayart Merong Mahawangsa is the most anticipated local movie this year. So I am highlighting an interview with Norman Abdul Halim of KRU Studios who is producing the movie. The interview appeared in the sun newspaper last thursday (Feb 17, 2011)


Suggested Headline ; A Cut Above The Rest


Epic movie Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa, based loosely on myth, legend and history, will open in cinemas on March 10. Norman Abdul Halim, the executive president of KRU Studios, talks to BISSME S about his RM8 million film and his international aspirations.


Tell us what we can expect from Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa (HMM)?


We started shooting in June 2009. It took us 52 days to complete our shoot. But our research and preparation took more than a year. We read many versions of this epic, interviewed people from the Kedah palace and talked to historians. In some versions Merong Mahawangsa is a demigod while in others he hails from Rome. We took some creative licence.
We make the story more believable rather than fantasy driven. You will not see a giant bird (Garuda) or him meeting the Prophet Solomon. We wanted the story to have a little integrity and logic. On the creative side we linked his mother to Kedah. That provides a reasonable explanation to why he is so familiar with the shores here. The script was revised 17 times.
For the action scenes, we imported swords and bows from the United States and China. There was a lot of paper work and red tape involved as we had to seek permission from the home minister. We need to destroy these weapons once we are done with them. We hired 10 stuntmen from Hongkong who had worked with Jacky Chan. These stuntmen also worked in Hollywood productions such as Hellboy 2. For three months, these stuntmen trained our actors for the action scene. The movie highlights our rich culture and heritage, and Islam in the 11th century when the ruler of Kedah converted to Islam. At the same time Hinduism and Buddhism were also practised.


Some purists are likely to say your film is bastardizing the epic. Are you ready to face them?


When we first expressed a desire to make this film, we got a few protest letters. This was before the camera began rolling and we had not chosen our cast. There are some religious associations which wanted us to highlight the religious aspect of that era. But we are keeping religion and politics out of this movie.
What we hear about this warrior is an oral history. And in oral history, it is hard to prove what is real and what is fiction. So we had the options on what information we want to retain for the movie. For example, we decided to retain the claims that he was a descendant of Alexander the Great because it will appeal to the global audience.
People have to understand we are not making a documentary. The idea of making this film is to trigger an interest among Malaysians to learn more about Merong Mahawangsa. There are so many heroes in our culture we have not heard about.
When I watched Ip Man (a biopic on the man who teaches martial art to Bruce Lee) I enjoyed the movie very much. The next thing I knew I was on the Internet learning more about Ip Man. One must understand a movie is an entertainment platform.
We are hoping after this movie, Malaysians will log on to the Internet to learn more about Merong Mahawangsa. We even produced a 45-minute documentary and a coffee table book to create more awareness about the epic and a better understanding of the film.


HMM will be shown overseas. Tell us more about the overseas market?


We have managed to sell the film to 72 countries including the US, Russia, Canada, France, China, Australia and New Zealand. Never has a Malaysian film been so widely distributed.
We started our marketing strategy in 2009. We have done four different trailers to entice the international distributors.
Action movies like ours always stand a good chance to get foreign distributors. The Thai action film Ong Bak also had wide distribution outside Thailand. Another pull factor: the movie talks about the Roman and Chinese empires. It is not only about the history of Kedah.
I know some people are trying to discredit us by saying some of the international deals are only for DVD’s and television releases. They believe if the movie does not have theatrical releases overseas then it is not a big deal. Well I have only one thing to say: "Can you do what we have done?" I consider it is still an achievement and a step up for the Malaysian film industry. We are going beyond Malaysia.
This movie is only the beginning of our journey going outside Malaysia. We have plans to work with companies overseas and produce films for the international market. We want to export our content. But first, we need to import talent. We do not have the expertise in certain areas and we need to bring in foreign expertise. We need to collaborate with foreigners.


Why do you want to tap the global market?


It is out of necessity that we are tapping the global market. If we only depend on the Malaysian market, we will forever be in a vicious cycle of producing the same old thing. Only when we tap the global market, will we have a bigger budget to create something different. We will be on our toes to create something different because we want to take our product outside Malaysia. We are on par with competitors out there.
Malaysian companies who have established themselves abroad such AirAsia and Petronas have also inspired us. In media and entertainment, there are not many Malaysian companies on the international platform. We would like to change that. We hope in the next five years KRU Studios will be a strong name, at least in Southeast Asia .


What are the biggest obstacles KRU Studios faced in penetrating the international film scene?


Funding. The banks here are only willing to give you a loan of RM5 million to make a movie. That is small if you want to make a movie for the international market. Even for this film, we got funds from the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry. Of course we cannot depend entirely on loans. We need to have investors too. There are not enough investors who want to develop the local film industry for the international market. We have a lot of producers who are willing to produce movies on a budget of RM1.5 million with the intention of getting the local audience. Right now, we are identifying several key partners.


What are some of the biggest challenges you faced in making HMM?


In some of our scenes, especially the battle scenes, we needed at least 300 to 500 extras. Ninety per cent of the movie was shot in Terengganu. It was difficult to get non-Malays such as Chinese, Indians and Caucasians to be extras in Terengganu. There are very few non-Malays in Terengganu.
A lot of people think RM8 million is a lot of money to put into a film. But if you consider the scale of our production, we are really working on a shoe string budget. Some of our international distributors were impressed that we could have a high production value with our small budget.
They estimated the movie was made with budget of US$10-20 million. We only built four ships that cost more than RM350,000. With help of CGI (computer-generated imagery), we managed to turn the four ships into 60-80 ships for the battle scenes. We also had to craft the film in a way that it would appeal to the domestic as well as the international market. Malaysians who watch local movies always go for simple comedies and horror films. They always look for enjoyment. There is a lot substance in the movie. But there is a lot of action to draw the local audience. We also made sure the movie was under two hours. We learned that Malaysians do not like watching movies that are too long.


There are high expectations for HMM. Are you afraid of the expectations?


I do not mind the expectation. But do not compare our film to Lord of The Rings and Gladiator. The budget they worked on is more than US$100 million. We are just a Malaysian movie targeting the global market. But there are elements in the movie that can make you proud to be Malaysian.
We cannot depend on the Malaysian box office to cover our cost. That is why we are finding an overseas market for our film. I am happy if we can get RM5-6 million at the Malaysian box office. I am not expecting HMM to beat Ngangkung’s box-office record (Ngangkung got more than RM8 million at the box office and became the highest grossing local film). It is a fact that many urban Malays and non-Malays do not watch Malaysian movies. There is a stigma among them that Malaysian movies are brainless. I hope the urban Malays and non-Malays give this movie a chance.
I’d like to see this stigma disappear. Not all Malaysian movies are bad and not all Hollywood movies are great. I am just asking them to be a little open minded about Malaysian movies.


Are you saying those who enjoyed Ngangkung are brainless?


I am not discrediting movies like Ngangkung. We should learn to make films like Ngangkung that appeal to the mass market. Each of us has different hopes and expectations when we watch a movie. Some people watch movies because they want to laugh and be entertained. Some like to watch inspirational movies while others watch movies for the beautiful dialogue. There are some who looked at production values from the set to the costumes. We have to respect everyone’s choice.
I can appreciate movies of all kinds. I just do not like when people start comparing one movie with another. Every movie has its strengths and weaknesses. At the end of day we have to appreciate the movie for its content, for its presentation, for its uniqueness and for the market it is made for. Nobody spends their time and energy purposely making a bad film. People should go to the cinema, free of all expectations.
If you ask me, is HMM grander than an average Malaysian movie then I would say yes. If you ask me if the plot is better than an average Malaysian movie I would say I think so. There is some memorable dialogue and there are memorable performances. It is a movie where we learned more about ourselves as Malaysians and for the world to know about Malaysia .


What about the censorship board?


The audience is getting wiser. They understand what happens in a movie only happens in a movie. Some years ago, the censorship board was not keen about local film makers making horror movies.
I believe it is good to make horror movies because they always showcase evil and devils. When there is evil and devils, there is also a belief in God. Most horror movies instilled a stronger belief in God. We have a tendency to blame media and films for anything that goes wrong in our society. There are people saying the incidence of rape cases is going up because the media loves to highlight rape stories.
These people claim that when readers read these kinds of articles, they get curious and commit rape. I think that is ridiculous. You cannot stop media from reporting what is taking place. You cannot stop people from having access to information. Parents should monitor what their children watch. The rating system in censorship was implemented to help parents.
I think the censorship board is becoming more open. Unfortunately, there is always a small minority who are constantly complaining and sometimes, under pressure, the censorship board listens to this minority.
Members of the censorship board should realise they cannot satisfy everyone. 1f you want to listen to people all the time, then you cannot have anything done. It is about time the minority grows up and acts maturely. If we want to be a developed nation in 2020 then our mentality needs to change.


Do you think Finas is doing enough for the film industry? Do you think Finas should privatised?


Finas should be privatised. When this happens, there will be less red tape and less government procedures. Decisions can be made more quickly and efficiently. When you have to raise your own funds, you will be creative and efficient. But then again the government may have its own valid reason for not privatising Finas. I would like to see Finas taking more initiative to get foreign companies to shoot their films here and get these companies to work with the local production houses. There will be transfer of technology.


Do you think the media is doing enough to develop the local film industry?


Some play favourites. They go all out to criticise a producer’s film. But when it comes to a certain producer, they hesitate to criticise his film. I wonder why? Some journalists purposely look for flaws and write negative reviews. You cannot deny negative reviews attract more readers than positive reviews. For the film industry to thrive, the media needs to be fair.


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More on Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa


Storyline: An arranged marriage between a prince from Rome and a princess from China is supposed to take place in Langkasuka in northern Malaysia. Before the marriage vows can be exchanged, pirates kidnap the princess and hold her for ransom. Enter the brave warrior Merong Mahawangsa to rescue the princess.
Director: Yusry Abdul Halim
Executive producers: Norman Abdul Halim, Yusry Abdul Halim and Edry Abdul Halim Cast: Stephen Rahman Hughes, Ummi Nazeera, Rahim Razali, Jehan Miskin and Khir Rah

U- Wei Saari

I interview the talented director U- Wei who talks about his movie Hanyut. The story appears in the sun on Wednesday Feb 16. The story had a longer version on line compare to the print version.

Firm handle on life
Director U-Wei Saari believes in making movies that force viewers to think and ask questions
BY BISSME S.


"I cannot forget." The lead character uttered those words in the last scene of the movie Hanyut/Almayer's Folly. And sufficient to say those words describe my feelings about Hanyut.
I simply cannot forget Hanyut. Some scenes from Hanyut linger in my mind days after watching the film. Subtly, they have haunted me, persuading me to watch Hanyut, again. But it'll have to wait as Hanyut will officially hit the cinemas only at the end of the year.
theSun was one of the few media that were invited to watch the rough cut of Hanyut from the beginning till the end.
Hanyut has one of the best opening and closing scenes I have seen in local movies in the last 20 years.
The movie starts with a hysterical woman running along the river and then plunging into the river, swimming towards a big ship. A small boat appears and a white man grabs her hair.
Based on Joseph Conrad's first novel, the story centres around a Dutch trader Kaspar Almayer in Borneo in the 19th century. His ultimate dream is finding a mystical mountain that is filled with gold. He has dedicated his life to realise this dream but he soon learned that some dreams can be dangerous. They can consume you. They can destroy you.
The cast comprises Peter O Brien, Sofia Jane, Adi Putra, Khalid Salleh and Alex Komang.
While Hanyut can be a tad long with some redundant scenes, it compensates those shortcomings with excellent cinematography and a powerful storyline. After watching Hanyut, I asked the director U-Wei Haji Saari :


Tell us more about Hanyut?
The film is so un-Hollywood. It is ridiculous to see a failed white doctor trying to save Calcutta (In City Of Joy) and a white widow teaching the king of Siam (The King And I). Like one of the character says in the movie 'what do they (the whites) know about us and this country?'
Human are supposed to forget (and get on with life). The meaning of 'insan' (human) in Arabic means "to forget". If you cannot forget, then you will be damned.
It has taken me 10 years to make Hanyut a reality. I do not want Hanyut to my folly. I do not want Hanyut to pull me down (he hinted he does not want to end up like his lead character Kaspar Almayer where his dreams consumed him and in the end, destroyed him).
Hanyut is a prayer and every prayer has many obstacles. It also came to my realisation that every project takes its own time to become a reality.


In the last 10 years did you ever once give up your dream of making Hanyut?
I will quote what the lead character of Hanyut said in the end of the movie: 'I cannot forget.' I cannot forget Hanyut.


Why did you choose to turn Joseph Conrad's novel, Almayer's Folly, into a film?
I read the novel more than 20 years ago. I love Conrad's works. He is one of the few who writes about Malaya that is not condescending. He never patronised the locals. When Mat Salleh (white men) write about us (Asians), we always became the curtain of the window. It is his first novel. It was difficult to translate it into a script.


When novels are adapted into movies, there are bound to be changes. How faithful did you remain to the novel?
If I were to meet Mr Conrad now, I would probably say something like this: 'Mr Conrad I am very sorry but your story has become my story now.' Of course there are changes. I think that is what adaptation is all about. I tried to be faithful to the intention of the novel.


Your movies from Hanyut to your first film Perempuan, Isteri Dan ....always deal with similar themes – alienation, bad relationships, misplacement and identity. Why? Do these themes have any reflection to your life?
A filmmaker has only one film to make in his life time and the rest of his films are just variations. I can't help noticing these thematic stuff happening around me. Sometimes I can feel alienated. But I have more sad relationships than bad relationships.


Do you ever questioned about your identity of being Malay? What does being a Malay means to you?
Malay is not a colour. Malay is not even a language. Being a Malay is a state of mind. Even if you lived somewhere else but you have a strong attachment to Tanah Melayu, then you are still a Malay.


Your movie's budget so far is RM13 million. Don't you think the budget is lavish for a Malaysian film? (Most Malaysian filmmakers spent less RM2 million on their films).
I want make a good film. I want people who look at Hanyut and not say "Ah, untuk filem Malaysia bolehlah" (Ah, for a Malaysian film, can do-lah). I am giving the film as much money as it needs. Whatever it takes my kid to grow up, I will have to put in the money. My film needs more money. I have to get another RM5 million to complete it.
When I first did my first film (Prempuan Isteri Dan…), producers in Malaysia were making movies at a budget RM250,000. But I told my producer that my film will cost RM1 million to make. These days, it is normal for Malaysian films to have budgets of more than RM1 million.
Money is not the only answer to make a good film but it is a big factor that to make it look good. Films are for our eyes first. Once your eyes are satisfied with the visual, your soul will say ‘now it is my time to feel for the film.’


You have a reputation of spending a lot of money in making a film. Many producers are afraid to hire you. What is your comment?
Then, they are not ready to hire me. Most producers here do not believe in investing more money in their films. They stick to their safety zone. They believe all Malaysian films should be made with RM1.2 million.
It is a funny way of doing things. It is like saying everyone should be wearing RM3 shirt. Some project needs more money than others. They never come from film school. They came as business person. A lot of them put profit first. They neglect the craft of filmmaking. But I put my film first. I am a filmmaker who wants to make films.


Are you saying film making is an art and profit doesn't matter to you?
Profit is not my top priority. But profit matters to me. I do not like being poor. I hope my film sells. Art cannot be said art till it sells.


How do you think Malaysians will react to Hanyut? Do you think Hanyut will do well at the local box office?
That is not the question for me. The only position I have is that I wish Malaysian audience can accept my new pizza (both of us were eating pizza then and we laughed).

Your films are a huge success with the critics and international film festivals. But they do not draw in Malaysian audiences and are not local box office hits. Are you angry or sad about this fact?
I am more puzzled than angry and sad.


Despite the poor response from the Malaysian audience, you continue to make films. What motivates you to continue with this passion?
I am a filmmaker. That is my vocation. I have to make films. If I stop making films, I do not exist any more.


Women are always manipulative in most of your films and the same element can be found in Hanyut. Are you a women hater?
James Brown (the singer) said it is a man-man world. Women became manipulative because they have to survive. They are always survivors. Zaleha (actress Sofia Jane in his first film Perempuan Isteri Dan...) becomes manipulative because Amir did something to her (He kills her husband, raped her and sold her to a pimp).
In Hanyut, you will see Sofia Jane is a bidan (midwife) who brings other's people babies into the world but her own child is taken away from her. That is why she becomes manipulative. It is always a painful process to swim against the current.


The ending of all your movies are always dark and depressing. Why is that?
My films are about hope. In Perempuan, Isteri Dan..., the lead character gets killed but death is not the end. Death can be a rebirth. To be martyr you must die. In Kaki Bakar, the son killed his (abusive) father because he wants to move forward. Even in Hanyut, in the end, the character says 'I cannot forget.' It is a hint that perhaps he may do something to revive his dreams.


Do you watch local movies? What do you think of them?
I do but they do not draw me to have a discussion. Film makers here believe they have a formula they have to follow. But there is no formula in filmmaking. A lot of people here neglect their craftsmanship of filmmaking.
Our presentation is not good. So it is difficult for us to penetrate the international market. I respect anybody who can finish a film because filmmaking is very hard. That is why I go and watch local films. But I feel sad when films have no soul.
There are two types of Malay films. One that teaches you to dream and the other that reflects the life that the character leads and asks the audience 'what about your life?'
All art must be political and erotic . But erotic here is not vulgar. Erotic here means sensuous.


What are your inspirations behind your films?
I loved watching films. I still read a little, not as much as I used to. Sometimes, books make me sleepy. There are fine arts I loved. Everything inspires me. Life inspires me.




Here's what producer of Hanyut, Julia Fraser, has to say about the film
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Do you think mass Malaysian audience would like Hanyut?
We know U-Wei's audience in Malaysia is small. We knew this when we started raising money for the film, but our market has always been overseas in the West. It took nearly 10 years to raise the money for the film but as a result, we can see that the movie is beautiful, and very much a Malaysian story. I think Malaysians will be proud to have this film as their own and perhaps the audience here will check it out just for that reason.


You have spent RM18 million on the movie. Are you confident that you will be able to cover the cost of the production?
Yes, we will cover the costs plus more. So far, the reaction to the movie from overseas audience has been very strong. Although our costs seem high here, it is still regarded a very low for what we have achieved. We have produced a period piece, where we made sure our overseas technical and creative guests had the best possible support – which is where a lot of the money went. But what a result!


What do you think of U-Wei's direction and the end product?
U-Wei has always been incredibly focused on the story he wanted to tell. I just tried to help him make the film – a film I felt he should make – a quality that would make an international audience want to see the movie. I felt his way of story telling would easily be appreciated overseas, so we wanted to match that with strong production qualities.
The end product is amazing – better than we ever thought possible – as our budget is regarded as shoe-string' in the West, but we have achieved visuals that could easily be compared to a Hollywood film, which means there is a strong market for it there.