Movies For National Day

by Shameera Nair Lin

This Merdeka Day, we wanted to bring you a slice of thought and joy as we commemorate another year of independence with a few recommendations that will spark various emotions!

1. Mukhsin, 2004

First on our list is a film directed by the late Yasmin Ahmad, a maverick in the Malaysian cinematic scene, about two young people and their coming-of-age. When 12-year-old Mukhsin finds himself in a new town (Sekinchan), he develops a strong bond with Orkid, a 10-year-old girl who will become his first love. But this is not a love story, really: it’s about family, pain, joy, history, village life, and has some incredibly poignant commentary on the usage of English and Malay in everyday conversation and its class implications. In short, much ado about a lot!

2. The Big Durian, 2003

It’s 1987, and Kuala Lumpur is in a state of panic because Prebet Adam has run amok with an M16, leading to rumours of racial riots. Except, none of this has happened in reality. A fictional film shot in the style of a documentary, Amir Muhammad’s first Malaysian film made history by being the first film to have been screened at the Sundance Film Festival. Offering lots of footage of Kuala Lumpur in the early 2000s and featuring familiar faces, ‘The Big Durian’ is a must-watch for all seasons.

3. Jagat, 2015

‘Jagat’ – a term in Tamil derived from jahat (bad) in Malay – is a highlight in Malaysian Tamil cinema. Following the story of Appoy, a young boy with a vivid imagination who finds himself drawn to the criminal activities of his uncle, a henchman in a local gang. What follows is a story of anger and the crushing weight of systemic oppression crushes. This is a film that will stay with you.

4. Jimi Asmara, 1995

Jimi Asmara is a popular singer in the 1960s, whose thunder is on the verge of being stolen by the advent of rock ‘n roll. He is painfully in love with Sabariah, a nightclub singer. However, things couldn’t go more wrong and Jimi lands himself in great trouble. With a beautifully captured version of the Malay language as spoken in the early 1960s, this period film is a visual feast and a beautiful homage to the magnetism of the P. Ramlee era.