Zan Azlee is a documentary filmmaker, journalist, writer, New Media practitioner and lecturer. He runs Fat Bidin Media (www.fatbidin.com)APRIL 23 — I’m still suffering from the cold winds of the San Francisco Bay area. Most recently, after the screening of my films and lecture at University of California, Berkeley, I was part of a panel discussion entitled ‘Making movies in Indonesia and Malaysia”.
Aside from me, the other panellists included the late Yasmin Ahmad’s producer, Elyna Shukri, and veteran Indonesian actress, Jajang C. Noer. It was moderated by Dr Marshall Clark from Deakin University in Australia.
First of all, I was a little intimidated being in the presence of such experienced industry professionals. Elyna had produced some of Malaysia’s most thought-provoking films in recent history, while Jajang has starred in more films than the years I have been alive!
So most of the time I was just trying to gather my thoughts together. But all in all, the panel discussion, which was organised by the UC Berkeley’s Centre for Southeast Asia Studies, went alright and I don’t think I was at lost for words.
One of the key issues we discussed was identity — of being Malaysian or Indonesian and also being Muslim. If you read last week’s installment, then you would know that the theme of the film festival was on Islam.
Personally, I make my films because I wanted to discover my own identity as a Malay (with some Chinese thrown in) and a Muslim. So I travel to other Muslim regions to see how they see themselves and live their lives.
All my films, although it has Islam as a theme, has never dealt directly with the religion. I mainly just look at the normal lifestyles and cultures of people, and leave religion in the background.
Both Elyna and Jajang seem to have sort of a similar approach in the sense that they never consciously have Islam in their minds when making films. It’s just that Islam is a part of their lives that their films just naturally have to deal with it.
As for me, I mean, who am I to talk Islam, right? I’m not a qualified religious scholar. As far as being a Malay Muslim in Malaysia, I can only speak based on what I observe, and anyone can dispute that since it’s just my opinions.
For example, I think the general Malay Muslims in Malaysia tend to confuse being Malay and Muslim as one and the same. And they also tend to be insecure when another group from a different religion decides to use the word ‘Allah’, all hell breaks loose.
“But in Indonesia, the word ‘Allah’ is used by every major religion that exists in the country,” explained one Berkeley lecturer who happens to be Indonesian.
Another key issue that was discussed during the panel was the issue of censorship. Now, this is something that Malaysians, whether industry professionals or the normal public, are all too familiar with.
Elyna and I spoke up first, voicing our opinions about the inconsistency of the Malaysian censorship board in their rulings. One day, they might let a scene in a movie be shown. And the next day, might ban another film that shows a similar scene.
I’ve had a film passed without any cuts then just slapped with a ban two days before it was to screen. Elyna, while working with the late Yasmin Ahmad, had a film disallowed from a theatrical release, then passed clean once Yasmin had passed away.
Basically, you never know what will happen with your film, no matter how safe you think it is, when you send it over to the censorship board. And this just makes it harder since there are never any standard guidelines to follow (or work around).
Jajang took pity on us and she explained that in Indonesia, filmmakers are very lucky since they are allowed to say or show anything they want in their films. They can criticise politicians, comment on social issues, etc. The only taboo is sex and nudity.
One other important issue was raised by a member of the audience. The man exclaimed that no matter what intentions we have in making our films, whether we want it to be Islamic or not, it will still have a life of its own when others watch it.
To this I agree. As much as a film is the vision and voice of its maker, the audience will also see it through their own eyes. They will have their own perspectives and also form their own interpretations and conclusions.
In other words, a film, once it’s completed, will then take on a whole new life when it gets screened. Ideas, thoughts and opinions are formed, discussed, agreed on and disputed. That’s what I think makes films so special.
* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.
(Left-Right) Zan Azlee, Dr Marshall Clark, Elyna Shukri, Jajang C. Noer and Dr Sara Maxim, director of Centre of Southeast Asia Sudies
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