Yesterday, I read with interest the announcement that
Yasmin Ahmad’s award-winning film, Sepet will be on YouTube from May 30
for just one-week’s limited viewing.
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| Yasmin at Tamarind Square, a gallery dedicated to Yasmin Ahmad within the BookXcess bookstore |
I know that the film, Sepet, is considered by
many to be the most beloved of Malaysian films and quickly shared this info
with my friends and contact groups.
Filmmaker, Yasmin (1958 – 2009), earned a reputation
for her films that dealt with important themes and sensitive issues of faith,
diversity, and a sense of belonging in Malaysia, a Muslim majority nation with
a multi-cultural community.
She was also famous for her unforgettable Petronas festive
commercials with scripts that conveyed poignant and powerful messages.
What then is sepet?
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| A collection of film posters with a photo of Yasmin's prayer mat below |
In this context, it is a Malay word which refers to Chinese
slit eyes (mata sepet).
Directed by Yasmin Ahmad, Sepet is a Malaysian
film set in Ipoh which tells a tale of teenage love that blooms between Chinese
boy and a Malay girl and explores the simplicity and complexity of
relationships.
Even though this film was released in 2004, the issues
it addresses are still relevant today.
At the 27th Creteil International Women’s
Film Festival in France, Sepet won the Le Grand Prix du Jury award and was honoured
by the Best Asian Film award at the 18th Tokyo International Film
Festival.
This limited time viewing of Sepet not only promises
to be enjoyable, but it also invites viewers to post questions about the film,
its production, the story, or any other details for discussion in the Comments
section in YouTube.
These questions will then be answered by members of the
cast and production team.
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| Yasmin's rolled-up prayer mat next to her prayer robe or telekung |
Among others who will answer questions are lead
actress, Sharifah Amani, lead actor, Ng Choo Seong, Linus Chung, Tan Meiling,
Zehan, David Lok and producer Abang Odeng, as well as Yasmin’s sister, Datin
Orked Ahmad.
When I shared the info about this opportunity to watch
Sepet (again!) with my friends, they replied with positive comments, three of
which I wish to quote here.
Putri Zanina said: “Thank you Peggy. I remember seeing
Sepet those days and felt how different it was from other local films.
It took a while to get used to Yasmin’s film-making
style, but once we got absorbed into the story, we began to appreciate it.”
Magdeline said: “I saw the movie last year. Very good
one.”
Swee Gim said: “Thanks Peggy. Yes, we watched it some
time back and was deeply moved. Worth watching again.”
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| Art installation entitled, Sepet on-air |
We stayed with Swee Gim and her husband in their cosy
apartment in Cyberjaya in early January to attend a wedding in Kuala Lumpur.
This dear couple were also guests at the same wedding,
so it was convenient for us to go to the solemnization and dinner banquet.
They were also excellent hosts who, among other
things, showed me Putrajaya by night and introduced me to destinations in
Cyberjaya including BookXcess, the nation’s biggest bookstore and the first 24-hour
bookstore in Tamarind Square.
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| Yasmin's mobile-phones |
While the first BookXcess in Johor Baru was yet to
officially open its doors in Sunway Big Box, I was delighted to explore and
experience this outlet in Tamarind Square.
Here, I discovered the gallery dedicated to Yasmin
Ahmad that showcased interesting artefacts that gave me a glimpse of the personal
life and work of our popular Malaysian filmmaker.
The sign simply read: Yasmin at Tamarind Square
and next to it, a collage of Yasmin’s film posters confirmed that this was a
gallery dedicated to the filmmaker.
Below this collection of film posters, a photograph of
Yasmin’s prayer mat and prayer robe or telekung, reminded us that even
with her busy work schedule, Yasmin did not neglect her daily prayer
obligations.
In a separate display, her rolled-up prayer mat was
arranged next to her telekung.
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| A number of Yasmin's reading spectacles |
In another display of old newspaper cuttings and
magazine features, I read a plaque with this inscription, quoted here for your easy
reference:
“The tributes came pouring in only after she passed
away. When she was alive and did Rabun, Yasim kena tembak from
certain parties.
She went on to make Sepet. Kena lagi.
She didn’t give up and made Gubra.
Kena tembak so badly most people thought that she’d give up.
Tapi Yasmin
kept striving and made Mukhsin. Kena juga.
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| Yasmin was an egg-lover! |
Then Yasmin made Muallaf which during her
lifetime, could only be screened in Singapore and Indonesia, everywhere except
Malaysia.
(Note: The religious department ambushed her during
the filming of Muallaf in Ipoh and hauled her up for questioning).
She kena hentam kow kow in all sorts of media.
Yet Yasmin kept good form and continued to make Talentime
– which is based on the Kampung Medan incident.
For insights into how badly she kena tembak,
see pages 34, 49 & 192 of Yasmin How You Know?
When she died, Yasmin was finalizing the production of
Wasurenegusa (Forget-Me-Not) an epic film she wrote about her beloved
mother, Mak Inom, set in her ancestral village in Japan and Go Thaddeus Go,
her film script about the strappingly handsome young Singaporean triathlete who
suddenly collapsed and died running the good race.”
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| A display of her film awards |
The book, Yasmin How You Know? is a compilation
of anecdotes by Orked Ahmad and Jovian Lee Lit Hong on Yasmin’s life from her
student days to various stages of her life, right up to her passing.
The exhibits in this gallery included Yasmin’s personal
items like her mobile-phones, her reading spectacles and even her favourite food
– eggs!
The label on this display of eggs in an egg-tray with
a medicine prescription read: Yasmin, an egg-lover “Banyak choles-telur”
Another display featured Yasmin’s collection of
lotions. The caption read: “As she applied cream to the corns on her toes,
Yasmin would grin at us and say, Sweet Corn.”
In the display of the awards won by her films, I read
the inscription which said: “Yasmin’s films won numerous awards. When asked why
she made movies, Yasmin would reply: For Mak and Abah. And to lepak
with friends.”
Among them, I saw the Best Asian Film award from the
18th Tokyo International Film Festival for Sepet.
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| The inscription on this plaque is quoted [above] for your easy reference. |
So don’t miss the opportunity to catch the
award-winning film, Sepet on YouTube this week and appreciate afresh, the courage
and creativity of Yasmin Ahmad.
Happy Watching!
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