THE CICAK.com

FFF2008 announces competition winners!

Finally it’s official! The three winners of the KOMAS FreedomFilmFest (FFF) 2008 human rights film proposal making competition were announced last Friday! The declaration was made together with the launching of KOMAS-produced human rights video ‘Mari Kita Beraktivism’, a series of short films featuring ordinary Malaysians and their experiences with human rights’.

The film proposal competition is part of the FFF2008 event which will be organizing a series of public human rights film screenings in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor and Sarawak. FFF is in its 5th year running and carries the theme of “Dare to Document”. It is organized by KOMAS, a human rights communications center in Malaysia.

After a brief competition period of two months, and having received dozens of film proposals from budding human rights activists and social film makers, only three were chosen to receive the RM5,000 prize. The winning proposals will have their films produced by KOMAS over the next few months.

They are:

• Abror Rivai for his proposal on “free and fair elections entitled “Pilihanraya Umum 12, Demokrasi atau Rebutan Kerusi”.
• Justin Johari Azman for his proposal on “the state of music/art as a form of freedom of expression” - also titled “project x”.
• Poh Si Teng for her proposal on “sexual conformity” in Malaysia

The panel of judges consisted of Edmund Bon, a prominent human rights lawyer; Dina Zaman, a renowned writer; Benjamin Mckay, a film lecturer at Monash University, and Brenda Danker, producer and director of production house, Big Pictures.

“These three film proposals were chosen firstly because they represent an investigation into democratic space, which may now be more accessible since the March 8th elections and secondly, they perhaps represent a positive change in the way Malaysia is coming to deal with its human rights issues,” said Benjamin Mckay spokesperson for the FFF2008 judges.

Poh Si Teng was unfortunately unable to attend the event as she is still in the United States but will be back to begin production on her documentary.

“Activists use the phrase “Human Rights” almost everyday and the words are often considered jargon to the ordinary people on the street. But if the same persons were to experience a violation of their rights, they would probably have a mouthful to say!,” said Anna Har, KOMAS Board Member.

“Mari Kita Beraktivism”, the film launched in conjunction with the announcement of the winners, highlights the issue of how several different ordinary persons had embraced human rights principles and passionately reflected it in their lives.

In “Best la Punk”, Kechik and Ebrahim, two seemingly ordinary urban youths, share how their interest in punk music initiated them into a different perspective of life and society. “Binatang pun perlu tanah” follows the process of how Sinui Pai Nanek Sengik (SPNS), an Orang Asli community organisation transformed from being passive victims to actively fighting for their survival. “No damn right” features the moving story of two time ISA detainee, Yang Berhormat Saari Sungip and his wife, Aliza as they share their bitter sweet experiences of fighting for justice as a family. Sungip was elected as the State Assemblyman for Hulu Kelang in the march 8th 2008 General Elections.

Kechik, Ebrahim, members of SPNS and Yang Berhormat Saari Sungip and members of the “Gabungan Mansuhkan ISA” (GMI) were present at the event.

FFF 2008 Winners’ Profiles:

Abror Rivai, 32, graduated from UiTM in Performing Arts, 2002. He is a contributor for cultural political magazine, Siasah, writing independent film reviews independent movie. He also directed Tanjong Kelang, a short film which was selected for the International Film Festival in Thailand and received critical acclaim from Cinemasia Film Festival in Amsterdam in 2005. He is deeply involved in activism and was part of the 2005 Asian Network for Free Election’s mission in Afghanistan as an international elections observer. He is currently an in-house writer and director for a new local production house.

Justin Johari, 28, is the manager of the aspiring Rap/Hip Hop group D&A. He has a Masters in Transnational Crime Prevention from the University of Wollongong, Australia and has experience in emcee work and theatre. He is also volunteer for the KL Bar Legal Aid.

Poh Si Teng, 23, is a born and bred Penangite but is currently working in the USA. A graduate of San Francisco State University, Poh Si has worked for the Associated Press in Miami and the New Straits Times in KL. Among her many talents as a writer and video journalist, Poh Si is also the Director and Founder of the Malaysian political and pop culture online magazine, theCicak.com.