THE majority of mainstream filmmakers are conditioned to play it safe, driven by the necessity of making a living (“Cari makan, bro”). This explains the abundance of formulaic genre films that cater to the lowest common denominator, guaranteeing a steady financial return but devoid of artistic risks.

What audiences are often left with are escapist films that fail to represent the reality on the ground. While these films might provide mild entertainment and profit, they contribute nothing substantial to the nation’s intellect and spirit.

Films that tackle taboo subjects or contemporary issues seldom break even financially, much less perform well at the box office. 

For this reason, we need auteurs and independent filmmakers to serve as the voice of the people.

Here are three modern Malaysian films – deliberately excluding Malaysian new wave films – from different eras that have explored local taboos, which, on closer examination, reveal their universal relevance.

‘Perempuan, Isteri dan….’ (1993) – Directed by U-Wei Saari

A social drama that challenged the portrayal of a Malay female character and delved into numerous local female taboos on screen unlike any film before it. This film caused a stir even before its release due to its provocative title alone. Originally named “Perempuan, Isteri dan Jalang” (“Woman, Wife and Whore”), it was edited down to its more attention-grabbing form, which eventually became a colloquial parody in its time.

Sofia Jane delivers a groundbreaking performance as Zaleha, a young woman who elopes to Golok in southern Thailand, to marry a friend of her unfortunate groom.

The groom Amir (played with stuttering ferocity by Nasir Bilal Khan), tracks them down, kills Zaleha’s new husband, and sells her to a pimp. The premise itself would have scared off potential funders, but thankfully, the film was brought to life.

Under U-Wei’s focused direction, the film evolves into an unrelenting piece of social commentary on patriarchy, feminism, culture, and modernity.

Regarded as one of the finest Malaysian films ever made, it won numerous awards at the 11th Malaysian Film Festival Awards, including for best film, best director, best actor, best story, and best script (although Sofia Jane’s exceptional performance, which earned her a nomination for best actress, was overlooked). A film of this calibre deserves a double DVD remastered release, complete with a bonus disc and audio commentary.

In fact, finding this hidden gem available for streaming anywhere is a stroke of luck. I still possess the VCD, even though I lack the equipment to play it at home.

‘Bukak Api’ (2000) – Directed by Osman Ali

While often labelled a documentary, I prefer to describe this film as a work of social realism. It follows the trials and tribulations of a transgender male-to-female (“mak nyah”) prostitute in the gritty urban landscape of Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur.

Due to its explicit use of profanity, nudity, sex, drug use, and prostitution, and its inclusion of real-life transgender sex workers, the film was banned from cinemas by the censorship board. Nevertheless, it was created in collaboration with the organisation, Pink Triangle Foundation to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS education, support, and care.

The Pink Triangle Foundation, established in 1987, was the first non-governmental organisation in Malaysia to provide HIV/AIDS testing, counselling, prevention, support, referral, and care services.

Directed by Osman Ali, a film lecturer turned budding director (who later directed successful mainstream films), I had the opportunity to attend a public screening of this film in the early 2000s. I saw the audience gradually leaving the hall as they came to realise the film’s subject matter.

The film’s success lies in its humanisation of the transgender community, offering audiences a glimpse into their daily struggles, aspirations, and dreams, which often remain hidden from the Malaysian public’s view.

It also effectively counters the common trope of portraying transgender characters solely for comic relief or humour.

‘One Two Jaga’ (2018) – Directed by Nam Rom

Malaysian censorship laws prevent local films from portraying figures of authority in a negative light.

Consequently, our films often feature criminal and authority figures that come across as caricatures, residing in a simplistic world of good and evil. This stands in contrast to the nuanced reality, akin to Hong Kong cinema, where cops are crooks and crooks are cops (illustrated by the excellent 2002 film “Infernal Affairs”).

Internationally known as “Crossroads,” this marks the first Malaysian film to confront the ever-relevant issue that continues to afflict Malaysia: corruption.

According to Nam Ron, the production worked closely with the police to address the film’s challenging subject matter.

Claiming awards for best film, best director, best actor, best script, best original story, and best poster at the 30th Malaysian Film Festival, this film serves as a rare instance of artists collaborating with authorities to craft an aesthetically and narratively captivating work on a topic of immense national significance.

We are in need of more social dramas like these, in addition to our customary civil society campaigns that aim to “educate and raise awareness”. – August 11, 2023.

* Azmyl Yunor is a touring underground recording artiste, and an academic in media and cultural studies. He has published articles on pop culture, subcultures and Malaysian cultural politics. He adheres to the three-chords-and-the-truth school of songwriting, and Woody Guthrie’s maxim “All you can write is what you see”. He is @azmyl on Twitter.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.