OVER BLACK:
The voice of a man rambling and scurrying around with sounds of falling things and doors hastily creaked open.
FADE IN:
1. INT. TAXI IN BANDAR BARU BANGI – AFTERNOON (November 2018)
MAN (late 20’s) seen walking quickly by the side of a train station and hurriedly jumped into the back seat of a taxi to the surprise of the DRIVER (late 40’s, Chinese gentlemen) who’s sporting a 80’s moustache with the song 'Di Ambang Wati' by Wings blasting through the radio.
DRIVER
What’s the rush young man? You’re still young.
MAN
Sorry Uncle, I’m late for a film screening.
DRIVER
Oh, is there a theater here in the address you gave in GRAB? What’s the name? Legasi Oakheart? I didn’t know that despite living here all my life.
MAN
Not exactly a cinema hall, but a small independent space run by a husband-wife team of Hafiz Latiff and Sayidah Mu'izzah that’s doing a screening of a Malay independent movie.
DRIVER
Oh, what movie is that?
Man opened the YouTube app on his smartphone and showed the trailer for 'Mencari Rahmat' directed by Al Jafree Md Yusop while the taxi is stuck in a traffic jam.
DRIVER
Oh, I know that play, I learned it in school before during my time. “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde. So this film is adapting it ah?
FADE OUT:
2. INT. IN A KAMBING BAKAR RESTAURANT – EVENING OF THE SAME DAY
Man’s looking dejected despite a delicious looking full platter of Nasi Kambing is served right in front of him. His friend AZ (late 20’s, female) was at first busy taking pictures of her Meatball Platter but then went into a maniacal laughter seeing the dejected face of her friend.
AZ
(laughing)
That’s what you get when you wake up late. Missed the movie, missed the discussions afterwards, missed meeting the filmmakers.
MAN
Yeah, yeah… I know. I just didn’t expect they would lock their gates during the screening. I think I was only 40 minutes late or so.
AZ
By my count based on when you texted me begging for help to tell the organisers to let you in, we are already an hour in.
MAN
Also I didn’t know they had that policy. No one can enter when the film is screening to not disturb it. I guess that’s a good policy to have in a smaller space.
AZ
Next time, don’t be late! I hope you did not recreate the famous 2-minute long Malik Membebel scene from 'Melur vs Rajawali', because that would be funny.
CUT TO BLACK:
3. INT. VIDEO CONFERENCE CALL – EVENING (MARCH 2021)
The desktop screen shows Man and Al Jafree side by side in a video conference call programme.
MAN
Thank you abang Al Jafree for agreeing with this conversation concept. Before we start, I just want to way I’ll be recording this session, for later references when I’m writing the article.
AL JAFREE
Yeah, no problem.
MAN
I want to start with a topic I’m actually exploring now, on what makes a Malaysian film, Malaysian? What’s your opinion on that?
AL JAFREE
Have you watched Malaysian romantic comedies? What do you think of them?
MAN
Yeah, maybe one or two, accidentally watching them when a family member watches them. If my opinion, I guess I would say they are bad? Although this assessment can be quite unfair to them.
AL JAFREE
You’re not entirely wrong but many Malaysians do not realise that romantic comedies are one of the trickiest genre to write.
MAN
(nods while writing down notes)
AL JAFREE
The problem of romantic comedies are actually there isn’t a romantic comedy that’s uniquely Malaysian.
MAN
What do you mean by that?
AL JAFREE
Malaysia have not properly defined our most romantic city, the landmarks that made it romantic. In the United States (it) is New York. There’s barely any romantic comedies that’s set out of New York. Then you’ll also notice Paris and Rome also have properly established themselves as romantic cities…
MAN
Even Asian movies are going to Paris to make a romantic movie I guess. The Eiffel Tower is iconic.
AL JAFREE
You see, you can’t escape the Eiffel Tower, or the Empire State Building in New York. 'Breakfast at Tiffany’s', 'Annie Hall', 'You Got Mail' – in all of them the geography played an important role to the story, not just as a random setting. Now, if I ask, which city in Malaysia that’s romantic? Is it KL?
MAN
If romantic, I want to say Ipoh over KL or even George Town.
AL JAFREE
Because of the late Yasmin Ahmad? But after that who else have set a romantic comedy in Ipoh? Properly defining it as romantic? Like how people look at Paris or New York?
MAN
That’s true. This reminded me of 'Gangnam Style' by Psy. Even as someone who doesn’t follow Korean media that much, I’m aware of the Gangnam district, and how it is the place where rich people hang out. So everytime I hear Gangnam, my mind straight goes to that’s the rich people’s place. I guess similar to how we here use ‘Bangsar Bubble’, but I don’t think there’s any media here in Malaysia that have properly defined Bangsar as such. It is grounding the setting with the sociological aspects of it.
AL JAFREE
Yes, you have to establish the city, the landmarks. If you think Ipoh is romantic, convince the audience on the why and how.
MAN
I never actually thought it that way. Establishing the geography, the location, the context is more important than I previously thought.
FADE OUT:
4. INT. VIDEO CONFERENCE CALL – LATER THAT EVENING
There is a slight shift in what the desktop is showing. Man’s wearing a chicken kigurumi while Al Jafree has grown antlers on his head.
MAN
I guess now is the time to talk about our film development agency here in Malaysia. The topic I’m sure many are waiting for after the back and forth that happened to the point legal actions were mentioned.
AL JAFREE
It is… Let me give an example from another country, as this haven’t happened here yet.
MAN
(nodding)
Ok.
AL JAFREE
Finas is a film development entity, it’s in their name, Perbadanan Kemajuan Filem Nasional Malaysia.
Finas claims they are similar to MPAA (Motion Pictures Association of America) – but it is actually wrong. They shouldn’t function as MPAA, as MPAA was established by the big studios there to protect their interests in the industry.
As a way to intermediate between the big studios with the various film associations that exists in the United States. The representative of MPAA in Malaysia is a lawyer.
Finas should function more similarly to American Film Institute (AFI). If we look back at all the people who spearheaded the AFI, right now it is Bob Gazzale, who is a well-known film historian and producer.
MAN
(nodding in agreement)
AL JAFREE
And if we look at other countries, such as France. The Cinémathèque Française, where its current president is Costa-Gavras, another well-known and big name in the film circle.
All of them have an extremely deep love for cinema. In my opinion what the cinema industry of each country needs is a person who understands cinema.
We don’t have to go far. Just look at Philippines. Their Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), which was headed by Briccio Santos, who is an independent filmmaker.
One of the programme he did for FDCP was something in the line of ‘Bringing Philippine films to the Filipinos’, because he realise the importance of watching your own local films.
He build community cinemas throughout the Philippines to show local films and have discussions on it. And it works.
MAN
If I’m not mistaken he was replaced in 2016 with Liza Diño-Seguerra, a former actress but I heard she’s doing a great job too.
I remembered something that might be important here. A few years back I was helping a cousin since I’m a movie guy. They wanted some guidance and tips because they received an assignment about 'Nujum Pak Belalang”, the P. Ramlee film.
I was thinking the class had been given a link to Arkib Negara or something for the cousin to watch film, but no, it was just a random YouTube link. Which for all intents and purposes, still an ‘illegal’ way to watch it.
AL JAFREE
Imagine, even for education purpose that someone here in Malaysia don’t have a choice but to rely on those random illegal links.
Argentina have been doing it. I don’t even mind if we need to pay a small fee, but at least there must be a place to watch all those classic films.
I’ve also said this for a thousand times. If you look at FDCP or BFI (British Film Institute), the two most important things they’ll always emphasize is (1) archiving & restoration. It is the foundation of film development bodies. Most of their budget should go here.
And the other thing is establishing a (2) cinema community, a cinematheque. The BFI even have a separate body to handle the cinema community part.
I truly can’t comprehend why we here in Malaysia are not focusing on this.
MAN
How do you think we can overcome this, maybe independently?
AL JAFREE
In terms of community cinema, we in Komfit (Komuniti Filem Titiwangsa), we are trying to create a network, of a space where anybody can come and watch films.
There’s Wayang Budiman in KL; in Terengganu there’s Panggung Pantai; in Johor there’s Panggung Punggok; in Jasin, Melaka there’s CORM; in Ipoh there’s Khizanat, Wayang Di-Atas, Hubooks; in Pulau Pinang, well Komfit is now here.
The network is already there. Maybe we just need to be more deliberately connected like what happened in the Philippines.
MAN
Yeah, I think that’s something we all could work on.
The conversation of Man and Al Jafree actually continues on to different small topics but since the deadline of submission have passed and not wanting to make the editor of The Vibes, Shazmin Shamsuddin, wait any longer, the script will just end here. Oh, and when 'Mencari Rahmat' finally gets its theatrical release, hopefully by this year – after being postponed last year – do go watch it. – The Vibes, April 10, 2021
The End
A.R. Shah is a multimedia storyteller trying to explore the various modes of storytelling. Currently he's part of the artist collective Projek Rabak to explore deeper into the arts and humanity.
