Friday, November 04, 2005

Sepet

I watched the locally produced movie "Sepet" (a truly 100% Malaysian film) on the first night of Hari Raya Aidilfiltri (aired on the tube on Astro @ Channel 4, TV Ria).

I will say I hardly watch Malay movie cos of the "quality", but this one is different ~ this is one of the Greatest Malaysian Movie :) This film won few prizes, including the Best Asian Film Award at the 18th Tokyo International Film Festival 2005, the best ASEAN feature film awards at the Ninth Malaysian Video Awards 2004, the 27th Creteil International Women Directors Festival in France 2005, the best film in the 18th Malaysian Film Festival 2005, the Global Chinese Golden Arts Awards, and the Anugerah Era 2005.

The storyline is simple, and yet a very touching story ~ a classic love story between two young lovers, a Chinese VCD seller (Ah Loong aka Jason) and a Malay girl (Orked), both from totally different backgrounds ~ fell in love, and how they cope with family and society pressure.

The actor and actress are excellent and they speak a variety of languages and dialects. Malaysian English, Malay, Cantonese and Hokkien are used swiftly without any oddity. The 'rojak' (mixture) dialogue used in the script made them so real. That's how we, Malaysians, talk in real life. This film is simple and natural and not dressed up in some Hollywood fakeness. Normal cheap T shirt, plain baju kurung and even sarung. That's how Yasmin Ahmad(director cum script writer for sepet)directed this movie. She made the movie exactly like the life of an ordinary Malaysian, together with the ups and downs that come with it. It also emphasizes on the relationships of people of different races in Malaysia ~ something real and familiar to each and everyone of us.

A Malaysian movie that is really WORTH watching :)

15 comments:

Furkids in Hong Kong™ said...

Sounds interesting!

Will surely check out if it's available here yet.

Thanks for the recommendation!

Chen said...

Furkids
That is a low budget Malaysian movie but the outcome is good :)

Winn said...

i heard the ending's not as desirable fairy tale-alike....sob sob...separaton due to religion and culture differences?

Jellyfish said...

i havent watch yet.

waiting for good samaritan to donate vcd or dvd to me :P

Anonymous said...

I really lost touch of my Malay language when I arrived here. I can't even speak Bahasa Malaysia anymore!!!!!! ARGH!!!

Chen said...

Winn,
Err... regarding the ending, mmmm.... it's kinda sad, but what issit, u watch yourself loh.. They will replay the movie again on ASTRO channel 4 this Saturday 2 pm.

Jellyfish,
Watch ASTRO channel 4 2 pm this coming Saturday. Got Replay of the movie.

Darryl>,
Ha, I think that's pretty common, especially when u didnt use that language for so long.

Anonymous said...

Go Sepet... and here come Gubra.. I'm waiting for Gubra...

Jellyfish said...

long long time ago, i already gave the astro decoder+dish to my ex.

normally i'll go for unker ho's DVDs
kekekekeke....

Chen said...

Fred,
Gubra ~ another movie by Yasmin Ahmad :)

Jellyfish,
U so good one... give them to your ex

Unker Ho's DVDs ah? hahhaha... no comment, u know I know :P

hornbill said...

Havent watch sepet but plan to...

Sam I Am said...

We dont have that here,
But it sounds like it would be cool to watch .

day-dreamer said...

Hehe... same like jelly, who wanna pass me a Sepet disc? My house got no Astor leh... Heard it's a very nice movie.

Putnumber Editor said...

ya, i like the movie too.. and i like Orked too!

Greenapple said...

ppl, you can get a VCD from any of the major leading video store. Not pirated one. RM20, if I'm not mistaken.

This is a movie that worth our support.

Check out Yasmin Ahmad's personal blog: http://yasminthestoryteller.blogspot.com/

Am waiting GUBRA ...

Chen said...

Hornbill,
Go, go and watch, u definitely won't regret :)

Sam I Am,
That is indeed a simple but great Malaysian film :)

Day Dreamer,
Go and get the VCD or DVD loh (but please do so only after your SPM exam, hahaha) :P

sklee,
hi5 :)

greenapple,
woh.. u are fantastic..
u are now so far in USA but u know the price of the VCD over here as well?
That's indeed a movie that worth our support.
Looking forward for the movie GUBRA as well :)