The Big Durian (film)
Encyclopedia
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
.
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. A few days later, the government of Dr. Mahathir Mohamad began a nationwide crackdown by detaining over 100 opposition leaders and members of civil society
organizations, in what became known as Operation Lalang
. The Big Durian speaks to 23 Malaysians (some real, some fictional) to find out about what happened, or what did not happen.
, Low Ngai Yuen, Jo Kukathas and Rashid Salleh; while the latter include Farish A. Noor
, Nam Ron, and Anne James.
... 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
magazine said: "Ambitious, sleek-looking docu examines wide array of ethnic, religious and political divisions in modern Malaysia. " 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."
Amir Muhammad (director)
Amir Muhammad is a writer and independent filmmaker based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was born on December 5, 1972 in Kuala Lumpur and was educated at the University of East Anglia. He has been writing for Malaysian print media since the age of 14, notably the New Straits Times.In 2000, he wrote...
that combined documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
with fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
. It created history by being the first (and only) Malaysian film to screen at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
.
Synopsis
On the night of 18 October 1987, a soldier ran amok with an M16M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
in the area of Chow Kit
Chow Kit
Chow Kit is a sub-district in central Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located around Jalan Chow Kit and is enclosed by the parallel streets of Jalan Raja Laut and Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. It is named after the tin miner and municipal councillor Loke Chow Kit. Today the area features a large...
, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. Due to the thorny circumstances of the time and place, his amok triggered a citywide panic and rumours of racial riots. A few days later, the government of Dr. Mahathir Mohamad began a nationwide crackdown by detaining over 100 opposition leaders and members of civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
organizations, in what became known as Operation Lalang
Operation Lalang
Operation Lalang was carried out on October 27, 1987 by the Malaysian police to crack down on opposition leaders and social activists...
. The Big Durian speaks to 23 Malaysians (some real, some fictional) to find out about what happened, or what did not happen.
Cast
The Big Durian features 23 people: some are actors, while others are expressing their personal opinions. The first group includes Patrick TeohPatrick Teoh
Patrick Teoh is a well-known actor and radio personality in Malaysia. A distinguished career in radio, TV, stage and movies spanning more than 3 decades has earned Patrick the nickname of "Voice Of Malaysia", bestowed by his fans and the Malaysian mass media.-Early life:Patrick Teoh was born in...
, Low Ngai Yuen, Jo Kukathas and Rashid Salleh; while the latter include Farish A. Noor
Farish A. Noor
Dr. Farish Ahmad Noor is a Malaysian political scientist and historian and is presently a Senior Fellow at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore...
, Nam Ron, and Anne James.
Production information
Amir MuhammadAmir Muhammad (director)
Amir Muhammad is a writer and independent filmmaker based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He was born on December 5, 1972 in Kuala Lumpur and was educated at the University of East Anglia. He has been writing for Malaysian print media since the age of 14, notably the New Straits Times.In 2000, he wrote...
... Narrator/Director
James Lee
James Lee (Malaysian film director)
James Lee, is a film director from Malaysia. He was born Lee Thim Heng in 1973 in the city of Ipoh in Perak. He is one of the pioneers of the Malaysian Digital Film movement. His film The Beautiful Washing Machine won the Best Asean Feature Award and FIPRESCI Prize at the Bangkok International...
... 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
Tan Chui Mui
Tan Chui Mui is a Malaysian filmmaker based in Malaysia.In 2007, she received the Tiger Award from the 36th International Film Festival Rotterdam with her debut feature film Love Conquers All. The film had previously won the New Currents Awards and Fipresci Award at the 11th Pusan International...
... 2nd Unit Camera
Danny Lim
Danny Lim
Danny Lim is a Malaysian writer, journalist and photographer.- Published works :His articles and photography have been published in publications like Off the Edge , Malaysiakini, The Nut Graph and The Sun . His work has also been featured in the Far Eastern Economic Review but never in Asiaweek...
... Still Photographer
Duration: 74 min
Film Festivals
The Big Durian screened in over 30 film festivals, including:- Singapore International Film FestivalSingapore International Film FestivalThe Singapore International Film Festival was launched in 1987. The festival is an annual film event, held around April/May each year, and screens about 300 films from over 45 countries...
2003 (world premiere) - Yamagata International Documentary Film FestivalYamagata International Documentary Film FestivalThe Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival is a documentary film festival held biennially in Yamagata, Japan.It was first held in October 1989, which makes it one of the longest running documentary film festivals in the world and the most distinguished such festival in Asia...
2003 - Sundance Film FestivalSundance Film FestivalThe Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
2004 - Hong Kong International Film FestivalHong Kong International Film FestivalThe Hong Kong International Film Festival is a platform for filmmakers, film professionals and filmgoers from all over the world to launch and experience new film work. There are seminars, conferences, exhibitions, and parties celebrating the festival community...
2004 - Vancouver International Film FestivalVancouver International Film FestivalThe Vancouver International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for two weeks in late September and early October...
2004
Reviews
VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
magazine said: "Ambitious, sleek-looking docu examines wide array of ethnic, religious and political divisions in modern Malaysia. " The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
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."
External links
- The Big Durian on The Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- DVD sales link