Country: Malaysia
Year: 2002
Duration: 8
An afternoon at the National Mosque of Malaysia encourages
thoughts both sacred and profane.
"I decided to shoot in sepia to reflect
the photographs from the era when the mosque was built, the 1960s. I broke into
blue-tint while recounting a dream that still has an impact on me. Other than
that, there are no effects. I wanted to take the viewers on a chronological
journey: the arrival, lingering, ablution, listening (or not) to the sermon, and
then leaving. I deliberately left out the prayer to emphasise that it's a
private activity. The thematic focus is not on the prayer itself but on what we
do before and after it: when our actions, for better or for worse, form the
impressions that others would have of the ummah (Muslim community)" (A.
Muhammad).
Biography
film director
Amir Muhammad
Amir Muhammad (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 1972) graduated with a degree in English and has been writing articles for the Malaysian press ever since he was 14. He has worked both in theater and in television and debuted as a director in 2000 with Lips to Lips, the first digital fiction film made in Malaysia. In 2002 he made a series of 6 short films, including Friday, which focus on the identity of the Malaysian population, two of which were awarded prizes at the Singapore Film Festival. His second full-length film, the docudrama The Big Durian (2003) was selected at the Festivals of Yamagata and Amsterdam (IDFA). At present he is working on Tokyo Magic Hour.
FILMOGRAFIA
Lips to Lips (2000), «6 Shorts» - Lost, Friday, Mona, Checkpoint, Kamunting, Pangyau (cm, 2002), «Digital Compassion 02» - Petrol Parking (cm, 2002), The Bir Durian (2003).
Cast
& Credits
Regia, soggetto,
sceneggiatura, fotografia, produzione/Director, story, screenplay, director
of photography, production Amir Muhammad
Montaggio/Film editor: James Lee
Montaggio/Film editor: James Lee