The Red Kebaya (2006)
Written and directed by Oliver Knott
Starring Ramli Hassan, Vanidah Imran, Bob Mercer, Samantha Schubert
Written and directed by Oliver Knott
Starring Ramli Hassan, Vanidah Imran, Bob Mercer, Samantha Schubert
Because of my work recently, I had a chance to watch this film during its premiere at TGV. What more could I say about Malaysian films these days? In terms of the look and cinematography, it is a commendable effort from the production team but it seems to fall flat when it comes to story telling as well as the acting from the LEAD characters in the film - pretty much one dimensional. On the other hand, the supporting roles did an even better job in the acting department and were the ones that add colours to the whole story! 
As a Malaysian audience myself and a person who is somehow involved in the industry of "movie making" (though I have not done a film that I could proudly call my own, yet), I could not help but feel disappointed by what we have today. Personally, I feel the effort is so near yet so far. There is such a big gap between films that try to look like Hollywood and films that fall into the "independent" category, films that could not transcend that whole pigeonhole of how an independent film should "look" and "feel". I think we should make films that really come from our heart and just try and tell a story from our head and how we see fit and stop worrying about the rest of the issues that may come tagging along before and after (like censorship, or to conform to the stereotypes, or the Malaysian identity, historical and cultural elements, etc). Of course, it is always easier said than done for we could not run away from the root where our film is derived from for film itself is so culturally bound and embedded. At the end of the day, to me, it is how well can we tell an honest story. All elements need to fit and fall into its rightful place, like a jigsaw puzzle. That is when magic will happen and my life long dream will be fulfilled.
As a Malaysian audience myself and a person who is somehow involved in the industry of "movie making" (though I have not done a film that I could proudly call my own, yet), I could not help but feel disappointed by what we have today. Personally, I feel the effort is so near yet so far. There is such a big gap between films that try to look like Hollywood and films that fall into the "independent" category, films that could not transcend that whole pigeonhole of how an independent film should "look" and "feel". I think we should make films that really come from our heart and just try and tell a story from our head and how we see fit and stop worrying about the rest of the issues that may come tagging along before and after (like censorship, or to conform to the stereotypes, or the Malaysian identity, historical and cultural elements, etc). Of course, it is always easier said than done for we could not run away from the root where our film is derived from for film itself is so culturally bound and embedded. At the end of the day, to me, it is how well can we tell an honest story. All elements need to fit and fall into its rightful place, like a jigsaw puzzle. That is when magic will happen and my life long dream will be fulfilled. 
