`6 Days' wins `Best Environmental' film award at Eco-film Fest(Pro category)

This is a good news which happened this afternoon(Nov 2nd) at Aswara College, KL. Penang Film Club sent 2 films for the competition with a theme on climate change. The 2 films are -`6 days' (11min) and `Zero Waste Home'(14min). The 2 films were selected as the finalist films-and `6 Days' won the only prize given under the Professional Category. Audrey Yeoh's film won many awards for the ameteur category -including best environment film, best film through online voting, best director and so on. She is the president of the Aswara college's film club.

`6 Days' was scripted by Ong BK, directed and shot by Johny Goh, produced by Lim Chuin Nian & Ong BK, starring Chris Gan, Christine, Naweed, Nirvan, Lim Chuin Nian, Johny Goh &Joseph. Thanks to all and others not mentioned here! The story is about a very insular middle class man who discovered that switching his air conditioner's switch can gravely affect the global weather. The realisation caused him to junk most of his power-grabber gadgets from his home-which until then was full of them!

The non-cash prize given include a 1-footer trophy, a t-shirt and a a mysterious box of goodies presumably contributed by the film fest's many sponsors. When the news was broken to all the major participants of the film all were very excited and replied to me(the only one at the Award ceremony!) that they wanted to organise a celebration! Watch out for more details from them!

I'll be back to Penang on Tuesday with the trophy and goodies-please drop by-say Tuesday evening to check out the mysterious box under seal.

Ong BK
KL

P/S There will be a small celebration at Northam Cafe 8.30pm, Tuesday(Nov 4th) evening. All friends are welcome-may be a piece of the non-cash prizes will be given to a non-crew attendant by drawing lots!

UPDATE: Date changed to Nov 8th : banned film on Indonesia & how to steal votes in US elections

UPDATE: Please take note that due to unforseen clash between functions on the previously advertised date the next screening will be held on Nov 8th (THIS SATURDAY) instead. It will start at 7.30pm, at D' Space (62 Weld Quay). The 2 titles to be screened are `Promised Paradise' (7.30pm), and `Cheating American elections' (8.30pm). See you! Bring all your friends!

Ong BK


Halo folks,
Screening of recycling films attraced more audience
The screening last Sunday attracted about 20 audiences -consisting mainly the crowd who became the actors/extras for the film shooting itself. Well done ! See if we could make any splash at the 1st Eco-Film Fest to start from Nov 1-2nd, at Aswara College , KL. We will update you on that at next screening on Nov 9th.

Next screenings: Double titles!

There will be 2 films to be screened on our next screening according to these details:
Titles:

1. Promised Paradise (52.10min) An outstanding film featuring a special theaterist's enquiry into terrorism post 9-11 and post-Bali bombing in Indonesia. The theaterist utilised his unique sense of humour to convey an anti-terror message which appeal to multi-target audiences ie both children as well as adults can get something out of it. Banned in Indonesia due to its portrayal of an interview of one of the Bali bombers -who are to be executed next week. Start screening : 7.30pm

2. Stealing votes-the American way (50min) -an enquiry into how votes can be `stolen' via `legal means' in US. The means to do it feature what is termed as `voters' suppression' where many blacks and minorities are purged from the voters' registers in key battle states. It has been noticed since at least 3 elections back-and is still continuing. Election watchers will find this film to be of extra interests-and you are most welcome to join the screening! Screening time : 8.30pm

Date : Nov 8th(Saturday)
Venue: D' Space (3rd floor, 62 Weld Quay, above Damacai shop. Map here)
Enq.013-5900339
Entrance: FREE!

See you there!

Ong BK

Premier show: `Zero Waste Home' this Sunday!

Halo friends,

Screening this Sunday(Oct 26th) :
`Zero Waste Home'
(85min) 8.00pm, D' Space (3rd floor, 62 Weld Quay, above Damacai shop)

Introduction to film:

The film to be screened is a home made film on a decade long recycling campaign by the well known Penang couple Don Thesiera & Mylene Ooi of Bkt Mertajam. The film shows the seldom seen faces of the 30-year-old Jelutong Landfill -which has grown up to over 3-storey high, and if left to push into the sea, may well create a 2nd Penang-Prai Bridge at no financial cost to the tax payers! (But the environmental cost may send some shivers up your back!) To stop such garbage mountain from crowding out Penangites' (and Malaysia'ns') living spaces the committed couple have been making their recycling presentation to almost anyone who requested it in the country. The film was made as a way to document the presentation after some 200 times that Don & Mylene have done it on face-to-face encounters with residents groups, schools, clubs, corporations and even government officials! The film will help extend their green message, especially considering that they will get too tired one day. Come to meet the tireless couple and give them a pat on the back! You are also welcome to check out their web site through the link above.

Background to the film making:

The idea of making the film has started at least a year ago after the film maker(BK Ong) won a Freedom Film Fest award in 2007. Don & Mylene had been resisting the idea of filming their presentation because they prefer face-to-face talks which they rightly consider to be more effective. But they then saw that making a film and sending it to festival is also a very effective way to push their green message at well attended festivals. So they appraoched the film maker to make a film about their presentation and to look for a suitable film festival to send the future film to. When a suitable film festival was found ie the Eco-film Fest the film making was set into motion. But there was some unexpected twist: the film fest only offer financial support to film proposals from first time film makers. That information did not come to the film maker until after the proposal was sent out-which meant it was at quite late stage. To salvage the film project some calls were made around to locate alternate sponsors.

Luckily and quickly USM RCE (Regional Centre for Expertise) program offered RM3000.00 to sponsor the film's making! By the time the finances came through and Don & Mylene found time for the filming it was quite late before the submission deadline on Sept 20th (later extended).But thankfully some 50 people turned up for the shooting to play the live audience!

On top of that the film fest limit the films submissions to less than 15 min, which mean that the film maker need to make another shorter version of the presentation for submission. With the help of another few more volunteers and Don's neighbours the 15-min version film was successfully shot and express-edited by editor Johny Goh before the deadline.

So the screening will be joined by a number of the original audience of the shootings of the 2 versions of the film. For all others who had not seen the presentation before the film is definitely a recommendation! So cancell all appointments this Sunday evening and bring your family and friends to the FREE premier screening!

`Zero Waste Home'(85 min)
Producer & Director : Ong BK
Editor: Johny Goh
Language: English
Camera: Ronnie Yeoh, Lim Chuin Nian, Ong BK, Johny Goh


Penang Film Club

Previews of Eco-film Fest

The 2-min trailer for 2 short films sent by Penang Film Club to the Eco-film Fest have been uploaded to the Eco-film Fest official web site here. Enjoy. The titles of the 2 shorts are: `6 Days' and `Zero Waste Home'. There are intro to the shorts at the Eco-knights web site.

Oct 12th screening: Pink Floyd The Wall

Halo friends,

The next screening by Penang Film Club will be as follow:

Title: Pink Floyd The Wall (1982)
Intro: This is a film which is more of an extended music video made to the tunes of Pink Flyod's album `The Wall'. It is highly relevant even today in the context of rising and persistence of repressive politics in the world. The film delved into the psychology that underpin fascist tendencies latent in many people eg the yearning for strong rather than rational leaders; the yearning to conform -thus the imagery of `a brick in the wall'; the yearning to be part of a big team-to go with the flow etc.
Time: 8.00pm
Date: Oct 12th (Sunday)
Venue: 3rd floor, 62 Weld Quay 10300 Penang.(see map here)
Enq.013-5900339

See you!

Cheers,
Ong BK

Arts Festival on 30 to 31st August

In conjunction with Merdeka Day (Independence Day), the guys below us are hosting an arts festival.

Entitled INDIEpendent Fest, this two day event will feature a number of alternative musical groups & performers, poetry recitals, exhibitions, film screenings, etc.

Go here for more information.


Oh yes, that little documentary we made for last year's Freedom Film Fest? We're showing it there...


DATE: 30 and 31 August (Sat & Sun)

TIME: 2:00pm to late

PLACE: 62 Weld Quay, Georgetown, Penang

Aug 3: 'The Diving Bell And The Butterfly'

Based upon the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, and the book of the same name. A fashion magazine editor (played by Mathieu Almaric) is left totally paralyzed from a stroke. He cannot speak, nor move even a finger or toe of his body. The only exception is his left eyelid... which he can only blink.




Despite his condition, he remains mentally fit. With the help of two therapists, Mr. Bauby develops a method to communicate with them, and express (in coded form) his needs, thoughts, imaginations... and his plan to write a book, despite his invalid state.

This award-winning movie takes us into the mind of the paralyzed Mr. Bauby, and the story of his life before the stroke. He sets out to complete his book, with the assistance of his therapists who decipher his eyelid blinks and "translates" them to words...



Time: 8PM, August 3 (Sunday)

Location: 3rd Floor, 62 Weld Quay (see map)

Admission: FREE