The Big Durian (film)
The Big Durian is a 2003 Malaysian film by Amir Muhammad that combined documentary with fiction. It created history by being the first (and only) Malaysian film to screen at the Sundance Film Festival.[1]
Synopsis
On the night of 18 October 1987, a soldier, Prebet Adam ran amok with an M16 in the area of Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur. Due to the thorny circumstances of the time and place, his amok triggered a citywide panic and rumours of racial riots.
Cast
The Big Durian features 23 people: some are actors, while others are expressing their personal opinions. The first group includes Patrick Teoh, Low Ngai Yuen, Jo Kukathas and Rashid Salleh; while the latter include Farish A. Noor, Nam Ron, and Anne James.
Production information
Amir Muhammad... Narrator/Director
James Lee ... Producer
Rogayah Shahariman ... Executive Producer
Sylvia Tan ... Producer
Lina Tan ... Associate Producer
Woo Ming Jin ... Director of Photography
Terence Raj ...Editor
Hardesh Singh ... Music
Tan Chui Mui ... 2nd Unit Camera
Danny Lim ... Still Photographer
Duration: 74 min
Film Festivals
The Big Durian screened in over 30 film festivals, including:
- Singapore International Film Festival 2003 (world premiere)
- Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2003
- Sundance Film Festival 2004
- Hong Kong International Film Festival 2004
- Vancouver International Film Festival 2004
Reviews
Variety magazine said: "Ambitious, sleek-looking docu examines wide array of ethnic, religious and political divisions in modern Malaysia."[2] The Village Voice said that it is an "impertinent love-letter to the citizens of Kuala Lumpur that does not let them off the hook for their apathy."[3]
External links
Texts
- ↑ Movie description in The New York Times
- ↑ Review in Variety
- ↑ Review in The Village Voice by Dennis Lim