22 March 2004

Curated by Bernard Chauly


Audience Choice Awards

Gold: INSIDE OUT by Oliver Knott
Silver: WANITA COSMOS by Diffan Sina
Bronze: A LIKELY TALE - SLEEPING BEAUTY REVISITED by Nur Hanie bte Mohammad


All Titles:

1. Storybook Adventures (Lee Sing Yee, 2003, 3m)
Join Ah Dou as she ventures into an exciting and surprising storybook world.

Lee Sing Yee, originally from Alor Setar, is an Multimedia University graduate now working as an animator at POV. She likes singing and wouldn't mind taking part in "Malaysian Idol."


2. Danish in the Sky (Low Shao Lyn, 2004, 3m)
A boy's simplistic point-of-view drives him to the grass of the other
side, but how long will it take for the greenery to wilt?

Low Shao Lyn is a cenfad (center for advanced design) student majoring in broadcast arts/new media. She hopes to continue studying graphic design in the UK.


3. Once In A Wild (Tan Tai Kooi, 2003, Australia/Malaysia, 6m)
A teenager lies on the bed envisioning the possible path that he may take in the future. While venturing for a breakthrough, he allows his phantasms to run wild and comes upon the unexpected revelation of his life.

Tan Tai Kooi studied film/video at Queensland Institute of Technology, Australia


4. Free (Idora Alhabshi, 2004, 3m)
A story that expresses the emotional turmoil of a confused man who seeks freedom away from the clutches of his unreasonable lover. By reversing his journey, he confronts his dilemma and breaks away to be at peace with himself.

Idora Alhabshi is a cenfad student studying broadcast arts. She has also exhibited at the National Art Gallery as part of the group project entitled Soneratia, 2003.


5. Corporate Raiders (Dean C. Ghazi, 2004, 13m30s)
Not quite another day at the office. The Corporate Raiders are successful international consultants engaged to acquire a high-tech firm that has resisted all take over attempts.  These professionals have a 100% percent success rate but only because of an extremely unorthodox and highly aggressive strategy.

This is Dean C. Ghazi's directorial debut - written in a day and shot over a weekend with his mates for a bit of memorable fun.


6. Newspaper (Tan Peng Hong, 2003, 26m)
A teacher who decides to stop being a teacher, a guy searching for his lost first love, a mature kid and a foreign worker. Four of them live in different worlds of their own but through a notice in the newspaper, they are linked together. (recipient of Multimedia Development Corporation (MDC) Student Short Film Grant 2003)

Tan Peng Hong, 24 is a second year student in the Bachelor of Multimedia (Hons) programme at MMU, majoring in Film and Animation.


7. Teacher's Diary (Darrel Chia Chee Sum, 2003, 10m)
A docu-drama which revolves around Zaubiah, a city teacher who puts in her best to educate indigenous children and to be accepted by the community. Her journey in the indigenous settlement is portrayed in different chapters. (recipient of Multimedia Development Corporation (MDC) Student Short Film
Grant 2003)

Darrel Chia Chee Sum, 21, is in his final semester at MMU, majoring in Film & TV. His previous work includes an MTV, "Song for a Lost Child" and a short film "Untitled. "


8. A Likely Tale Sleeping Beauty Revisited (Nur Hanie bte Mohammed, 2004, 3m)
A 2D animation based on familiar fairytales such as "Sleeping Beauty" and "Snow White" but with a twist. An evil queen, jealous of her pretty stepdaughter, sends a vampire out to kill her. By infecting the princess with HIV/AIDS.

Nur Hanie bte Mohammed is a final year student in Film and Animation at Multimedia University, Cyberjaya. She is self-taught in graphics and art.


9. Wait (Amir Muhammad, 2004, Japan/Malaysia, 3m)
Tokyo's Hachiko Square is a place where people meet.

Amir Muhammad needs no introduction. Wait was made as part of a workshop at Waseda University where the challenge was to make a short only with camera-edits rather than in post-production.


10. Keluarga Saya (Sheikh Munasar, 2003, 7m)
Keluarga Saya is about the story of a ten year old boy named Haikal who is asked by his teacher to write an essay about his family. He does so openly and honestly.

Sheikh Munasar is a second year Akademi Filem Malaysia (AFM) student pursuing a diploma in film. Keluarga Saya is his fourth video after "10X", "Jidah", "Air Malam" and most recently "Nona Singapura."


11. White Powder (Kok Chen Yong, 2004, 3m)
A story about two drug dealers and what happened to them in a night where one of them double-crosses the other and tries to make a run with both money and drugs.

Born in Alor Setar, Kedah, Kok Chen Yong is currently studying film and animation at Multimedia University (MMU).


12. A Day In A Beggar's Life (Ahmad Yazid, 2003, 14m)
Step into the shoes of a beggar.

Ahmad Yazid, 19, learnt filmmaking from his Dad. Yazid is a cameraman for a production company in KL, currently working on a documentary about sex education and HIV/AIDS. He thinks rollerblading is cool.


13. Kairo (Alexandra Foo Fei Ling, 2004, 9m20s)
This short film is adapted from an internet ghost story. Its midnight. Dr.Ho and Dr.Ngai have just finished an operation. They are exhausted and want to go home as soon as possible. However, on the way to the basement of the building. . .

Alexandra Foo Fei Ling, 20, recently graduated from Hanxing Academy of Journalism and Communication. At the recent Hanxing Academy 5th Graduation Short Film Awards, Kairo picked up nine awards, including Best Director and Best Short Film.


14. Wind Chimes (Deepak Kumaran Menon, 2004, 13m)
When silence is all you hear, when wind chimes is the only sound around. That's when loneliness gets to you. (Screening: 17th Singapore International Film Festival 2004 - Fringe)

Deepak Kumaran Menon was born in KL in 1979. He graduated in film and animation from Multimedia University, Malaysia. Last year, he won a Gold award for Best Opening Graphics at the Malaysian Video Awards (MVA).


15. Fall (Yap Hwei Yee, 2004, 2m)
Set on the stage of a small circus tent, a lady trapeze performer -- who leads her profession with grace and confidence -- captures the heart of a dwarf clown. Lacking self-esteem, the clown yearns to be like her and to be with her.

Yap Hwei Yee, 21, is currently undergoing the final year for a Multimedia Degree (majoring in Film & Animation) at Multimedia University.


16. Inside Out (Oliver Knott, 2003, UK/Malaysia, 20m)
Alone in a large country house, Laura starts to see and hear things. As night falls, her psychosis intensifies to a shattering and terrifying discovery. (Special Jury Mention, Fantastisk Filmfest, Malmo, Sweden, 2003)

This is Oliver Knott's 5th short film, having also directed a feature
film, "Free Spirits." Originally from the UK, he now lives and works in KL. Producer Samantha Schubert went to London in 1996 after a successful modeling and acting career here. In 2004, she returned to Malaysia where she has set up OK Films Sdn. Bhd.


17. Wanita Cosmos (Diffan Sina, 2004, US/Malaysia, 4m)
3rd August 2003, the Malaysian Government announces that the first Malaysian will be sent to space in 2005 (based on true facts). The government also announced that Malaysia's first astronaut could be anyone an academic, military personnel, etc. The playful piece revolves around a moderate Malay woman in her mid 20s and is heavily influenced by children's storybooks such as "Peter and Jane."

Music and surroundings have immense influence on Diffan Sina's work. At 20, he has directed 2 music videos for OAG ("akustatik" & "nowwhy2") and picked up two golds and a silver at the CDVC (cyberjaya digital video competition) 2003. Diffan loves his country! Persian and Malaysian elements are common in his work.