Temiar Senoi, an indigenous people of Malaysia, live in the realm of unique dream culture. Their exceptionally harmonious and non-violent way of living has been claimed to be a direct result of their dream directed habits. Their sole aim is to exist in balance with nature and fellow man. But the nature is under threat by a massive rain forest logging operation masterminded by the Malaysian government. And the tribe itself is under another, direct threat by the same government, who try to institute "modern" customs among the tribes, including state religion and education programs.
In December 1993, a luxury condominium tower block collapse after ground erosion from the neighbouring hillside. About 50 people lost their lives and to this day has become one of the darkest and saddest tragic incidents in Malaysian history. Twenty years later in 2013, a group of documentary filmmakers venture into the remaining two blocks that is left standing to do a ghost hunting expedition. What they discovered is not for the faint-hearted.
Highland Tower
2013
6
Karayuki-san, the Making of a Prostitute is a 1975 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. It is a documentary on one of the Japanese "karayuki-san," who were women that were taken from their homes in Japan and used as prostitutes in the post-war period. Many of these women were told that they were doing this to support their families because of the extreme poverty that the war left much of Japan to live in. Imamura focuses on a particular such woman who was sent to Malaysia and never returned to Japan. Joan Mellen, in The Waves at Genji's Door, called this film, "Perhaps the most brilliant and feeling of Imamura's fine documentaries."
からゆきさん
1973
7
They sacrificed their lives fighting for the independence of their country, but their stories remain untold for 60 years. The story begins with a man’s portrait, which has been hanging for more than 30 years in an old wooden house where I was born and grew up in Perak, Malaysia. It’s long become a taboo that my families do not talk about this man, not even to bring up his name or his past. Eventually I found out he is my grandfather, who sacrificed his life fighting for Malaysia’s independence and decolonisation, but his and his comrades’ stories are excluded from history. This documentary set out to unveil the mysteries.
不即不離
2016
0
The Borneo Case is a unique story filmed over 25 years and tells the epic tale of how the rainforest, home of the last nomads was stripped of its natural resources. It reveals how billions of dollars of illegal profits solicited by the Chief Minister of Sarawak State in Malaysia were money laundered with the assistance of the largest global banks into offshore accounts and property portfolios all over the world. The case was labelled as the largest environmental crime of the century.
The Borneo Case
2017
6
The documentary retraces the steps of Bruno Manser, a man from Switzerland who went to live with the indigenous tribe of the Penan in the Jungle of Borneo and endef up helping their struggle to defend their rainforest against greedy logging companies. The movie features original film, photo and voice recordings by Bruno Manser made in the 1980s, as well as new recordings showing how the life of the Penan has changed in just a few decades.
Bruno Manser - Laki Penan
2007
0
“DISCIPLES” is a new Dazed film by Jess Kohl exploring the subcultural world of Malaysian skinheads including the traditional, SHARP skins, and Nazis.
Disciples
2021
0
Malaysia's multiculturalism is unrivaled throughout Southeast Asia and is reflected in its cuisine. Roving foodie Merrilees Parker begins her journey on the Malaysian peninsula with the native Orang Asli people of Kelantan She then heads off to the stunning Islamic East coast to cook a rich curry using freshly caught mackerel. In the ancient spice capital of Melaka, Merrilees cooks up a storm with fiery Laksa soup in the style of the Nyonya. In the Cameron Highlands, 5,000 feet above sea level, there is a notable English influence. The island of Penang is Merilees' next stop then she visits the capital, Kuala Lumpur, one of the fastest growing cities in Southeast Asia.
Planet Food: Malaysia
2012
7
A short documentary film following Muhang, a wheelchair user, on his commute to work via public transportation while dealing with the issue of accessibility.
Ceria Kuala Lumpur
0
A travel documentary essay, interspersed with specially composed songs, about the early life and legacy of Chin Peng, exiled leader of the banned Communist Party of Malaya.
Lelaki komunis terakhir
2006
6
Local filmmaker Woo Ming Jin and his crew traversed across Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore to find 'Seruan Merdeka' (1947) - the first film made in Malaya post-WWII, and also the first film in the history of Malaysian cinema to feature a biracial cast of Malays and Chinese. While tracking the film's whereabouts, Woo met many locals along the way, whom he interviewed in an effort to find out more about the country's history.
Return to Nostalgia
2015
0
Over the years Malaysia as a country has invested millions into promoting tech startups, in an attempt to replicate Silicon Valley in the West. This documentary looks at a 10year journey of e-Sentral, an e-book tech company that began as a startup, and its journey going through the different phases of growth. The film interviews startup industry players in Malaysia; leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs sharing their perspectives and experiences on how it actually is, and not as how it has been typically portrayed. A must watch if you like the tech space as the film portrays a genuine feel for perseverance and grit.
Startup: The Real Story
2021
8
In the fall of 2000, a group of Malaysian underground musicians arrived at the Rockers' village in the outskirts of Beijing. Living illegally in a farmhouse, they tried to blend into the Beijing underground scene. They sought performance opportunities and gigs in pubs and bars.
樂會北京
2005
0
Booklovers, booksellers, storytellers and writers can easily squeeze into various demos of important issues. This documentary brings this group of people in the limelight, discussing the value of art space in bookshops. The book-loving director Kong King Chu visited independent bookshops in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia for three to four years, tried to understand how a bookshop can become a dynamic, inspiring and heartwarming space, even these booksellers carry different attitude towards life, books and community, as well as management beliefs. These booksellers do not care about the commercial value emphasized by the capitalist society and they are content in their own way by sharing their enthusiasm about books with the others in spite of all difficulties. Thus, they keep trying new methods to sharpen their touch on social issues and become an important starting point for the general public to reflect upon conflicts in our society.
書人頌
2020
0
Christopher Powell is in Malaysia with his fiancée and her father, capturing wild animals. While out hunting, he is attacked by a tiger, and his native guides run away, leaving him for dead. But the tiger is the pet of Ulah, a beautiful young woman who grew up by herself in the jungle. She rescues Chris and takes him back to her cave, where she nurses him to health and falls in love with him. When he eventually returns to camp, she follows. The fiancée is jealous, and the natives don't like Ulah or her pet tiger either, all of which leads to a lot of trouble.
The Jungle Princess
1936
6
Five young fun loving travelers are documenting their travels from New York to Malaysia on the journey of a lifetime exploring many of the wonderful sights and sounds of Malaysia. The purpose of the trip is to discover their friends familial roots from the Iban tribe in Borneo and have the adventure of a lifetime. Only to discover the tribe has crossed the border into the unfamiliar territory of Indonesian tribes.
The Borneo Incident
2013
5
An adaptation of the FIXI novel "Zombijaya" by Adib Zaini. The novel itself is inspired by AMC's television drama series "The Walking Dead". The film tells the tale of slacker Nipis who becomes a reluctant hero when a zombie outbreak robs him of the only life he knows.
KL Zombi
2013
6
A passionate foodie loses his beloved hawker stalls to corporate pressure, he reluctantly turns to processed food he calls 'trash' in a moment of deep sorrow and disappointment as he grieves the loss of his favourite food stalls.
Diary of A Hungry Man
2023
10
リトルシンドバッド 小さな冒険者たち
1991
0
Five people get murdered in Malaysia and the cop who investigates the crime finds out that they have a common Facebook friend — Asha Black. Meanwhile, a young man from India comes to the country to meet Asha, after she befriends him on Facebook.
ആശാ ബ്ലാക്ക്
2014
5
Shakthi and Santhosh live together in Malaysia. They both fall in love with the same girl Lena. Eventually, Lena has to choose between them and she chooses Santhosh as he is wealthy. Mammootty comes to know of this and breaks off his engagement to her and walks away, feeling all good.
Junior Senior
2002
3