MALAYSIAN FILM FESTIVAL ENDS ON EMOTIONAL NOTE

By Neville D'Cruz

MELBOURNE, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- The four-day Australian Malaysian Film
Festival (AMFF) ended on an emotional note Wednesday night. It had been an
amazing four days of culture, art, music, joy, fun and award-winning Malaysian
films.

The films, especially Malaysia's renown director/producer the late Yasmin
Ahmad's blockbusters, evoked tears of joy and sadness, always with the thought
that the wonderful director is no longer with her adoring crew and fans.

There was also laughter, enjoyment and a deep appreciation of the fantastic
artist talent in the Malaysian film industry.

An elated Kate Stephens, one of the organisers of the festival along with
her husband Ade Djajamihardja and the gifted Farah Al Amin, said the festival
was "absolutely marvellous.".

"We had almost full-house for all screenings of the films. For some
films we could not accommodate the number of people who wanted to see them," she
said.

"The theatre (at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI),
Federation Square here) can take a maximum of 180 people and we had to turn away
a lot people, both Australians and Malaysians, " she told Bernama here.

Stephens said next year there would have to be more screenings or switch to
a larger theatre.

" But ACMI is an ideal venue with its many convenient facilities because we
also have an exhibition of Malaysian batik and fashion, dance performances and
social events promoting Malaysia."

Stephens said the support of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and the
backing of the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) through
Mohd Mahyidin Mustakim as well as the good offices of Mohd Al Amin Majid gave
the festival organisers encouragement for the future.

The films screened here were Talentime, Geng the Movie, Cicakman 2 - Planet
Hitam, Pensil, Muallaf and My Telatori.

The Malaysian delegation to the festival comprised Yasmin Ahmad's production
editor Raja Affandi, producers Ida Rahayu Yusoff, and Ida Shaheera Azhar;
actors Sharifah Aryana Syed Zainal Rashid, Sharifah Aleysha Syed Zainal Rashid,
the multi-talented Jacyln Victor and the secretary of the Malaysian Film
Producers Association, Abdul Latiff Mohaideen.

Singer-turned-actor Jacyln, who won the first Malaysian Idol and who
arrived here a day after the festival opening on Sunday because of a Genting
commitment, said she was blown over by the enthusiasm and energy of the
festival.

"I am so happy I came to Melbourne. It has been fantastic," she said.

Event coordinator Farah Al Amin said the Malaysian film delegation told her
that they wished that they could stay longer in Melbourne.

"They liked everything about this marvellous city," she said.

"They were thrilled at the audience appreciation of their films and the
enthusiasm the film-goers showed when meeting the actors and producers after
the screening of the films," Farah said.
-- BERNAMA