KUALA LUMPUR: Opinions are divided among local movie directors and film-makers on the outcry over this year’s Best Film nominees in the 28th Malaysia Film Festival Awards.
Criticism has been mounting over the exclusion of films like Ola Bola and Jagat from the Best Film category because they were not entirely in Bahasa Malaysia.
Liew Seng Tat, who directed the international award-winning film Flower in the Pocket, said Malaysian films should not be about race, skin colour or language.
“The film should reflect society. We should look pass the norm.
“There is no formula to making a Malaysian film.
“Malaysian films are still not widely recognised in the international scene.
“So, we can use the opportunity to define ourselves and show the world our identity.”
Liew said it was important to show and share the Malaysian voice.
“In terms of getting international recognition, it’s all right to start small.
“We can first focus on Southeast Asia, then Asia and then the rest of the world.
“What is more important is for us to produce more quality films that can be exported.
“There’s something we can offer in terms of storylines and culture since we are a multiracial country with a lot of heritage that can be portrayed in the movies.”
He said Malaysian film-makers should refine the local genre, for example, highlighting more Nusantara legends and myths.
“We should work in the perimeter that we have and establish a stand in the local scene.”
Film-maker Dr Anwardi Jamil said there was no exact definition of a Malaysian film.
“A Malaysian film does not necessarily mean that it has to have a rojak or multiracial cast or language.
Those things do not define the film.
“I’m all about lifting the Malay spirit, but we should not differentiate a film by its language because Malaysians do not use only one language.”
He said Malaysian films should be a window to the country’s society that captured the complexity of Malaysians.
Anwardi cited the example of film director Sabri Yunus, who made movies in the Kelantanese dialect and whose movies required subtitles.
The subtitles, he said, were to help those who did not understand the dialect to understand the movie.
Anwardi said film directors should offer audiences something different that the world had yet to see about Malaysia.
“Rather than segregating the movie categories into Malay and Non-Malay language films, FFM (Malaysia Film Festival) should consider another category, such as a special award for films that make profound use of the Malay language.
“(The festival) should make sure that the films nominated for that category use proper Malay instead of bahasa rojak (broken language) and do not use slang and English.”
Anwardi, whose late father, Jamil Sulong, made classic Malaysian films like Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup, Dayang Senandong, Raja Bersiong and Sumpahan Mahsuri.
Director Mohammad Mohd Khalid, better known as Mamat Khalid, pointed out that Bahasa Malaysia was the national language.
“When it comes to the term ‘national film’, Bahasa Malaysia has to be the official language as it is the language of the country.
“Is it offensive? Or are we confused between equal rights and national obligation?
“Or is it time for Bahasa Malaysia to stand on a par with other languages? You be the judge.”
Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak is expected to discuss the matter with National Film Development Corporation director-general Datuk Kamil Othman today.