[event] Freedom Film Fest 2011 // 28th Oct 2011 @ The Substation Theatre

The Freedom Film Fest was initiated by Malaysian NGO Pusat Komas as a means to educate the public on the values of human rights. The festival's circuit in recent years has included Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor, Perak and East Malaysia.

Due to our shared political and cultural history with Malaysia, Singaporeans For Democracy will host the Singapore leg of the festival again for the second year running. None of the films shown in the eight year history of FFF has been censored or banned by the Malaysian Government.

Entry is free so feel welcome to bring along all your friends and family.

When: Friday, October 28 · 7:00pm - 11:30pm
Where: The Substation, 45 Armenian Street

ABOUT THE FILMS

1. MENCARI KARTHIKA (40 mins) 2010
Dir : Norhayati Kaprawi
Language : Bahasa (English subtitles)
Rating : Not yet rated by MDA

First-time filmmaker Norhayati Kaprawi was inspired to make “Mencari Kartika” after surveys by polling house Merdeka Center found a large majority of Muslims in Malaysia supported the caning of part-time model Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno for consuming alcohol. This documentary explores the Muslims’s perception of ‘justice’ in the context of Malaysia that is lauded for its modern, progressive, multi-racial image.

2. AKU SIAPA? (50 mins) 2010
Dir : Norhayati Kaprawi
Language : Bahasa (English subtitles)
Rating : Not yet rated by MDA

Why do Muslim women in Malaysia wear the hijab? What are their challenges? Through a series of candid interviews with Muslim women, young and old, urban and rural, director Norhayati Kaprawi uncovers why Muslim women wear the hijab, and why some take it off. “Aku Siapa” is a necessary viewing for those who are curious about the hijab and those who want to better understand Islamization and its impact on women in contemporary Malaysia.

3. ULU BENGOH DARUM PIIN (Upper Bengoh Under Water) (20 mins) 2011
Dir : Joachim Leong
Language : English (Bahasa subtitles)
Rating : Not yet rated by MDA

Building of the controversial Bengoh dam will forcibly displace 1,500 residents from their ancestral homes. However, contrary to popular expectations, the recent election results showed that the Bengoh residents did not use their ballot to express their unhappiness. The films ventures into the soon-to-be-submerged villages - accessible only by foot- to discover why they chose the same candidate who supported the very project that would forcibly displace them.

4. TRANSGENDER NUN : RIGHTS AND RITES (20 mins) 2011
Dir : Arvind Raj
Language : English (Bahasa subtitles)
Rating : Not yet rated by MDA

Transitioning from a man to a woman is but the first change in Sharan’s life. She wants to become a nun by dedicating her life to Bauchara Matha, a Hindu deity who is known to be the protector of the transgender community. The filmmaker follows Sharan on a journey of several rituals that are rarely performed and never recorded on film before.

5. HURUF J (23 min) 2011
Dir : Afiq Deen
Rating : Not yet rated by MDA

What happens when your status changes from “married” to “divorced”? What has this very personal issue got to do with human rights? First-time filmmaker Afig Deen employs animation, wordplay and interviews with divorced mothers to highlight the struggles of these women, while finding closure with his own personal struggle as the son of a divorced mother. A winner of Freedom Film Festival 2011.

6. LOT, UMAH AM (The Sea, My Home) (23 min) 2011
Dir : Liaw Pey Wen
Language : Bahasa (English subtitles)
Rating : Not yet rated by MDA

For most Indigenous People, the land and forest is tied up with their identity. But what if your indigenous identity is not tied up to the land but rather to the sea? This documentary gives us a peek into the lesser known lives of the Indigenous Orang Seletar who have for generations called the Straits of Johor their home. A runners-up of Freedom Film Festival 2011.

[event] Ignore All Detour Signs // 24th Sept 2011 @ Sinema Old School

Ignore All Detour Signs
by Helmi Ali (Singapore)
Rated PG / 55mins

Sinema, 11B Mount Sophia, Old School, 24th Sept 2011, 9.30pm

Like any other up-and-coming band, local post-rock outfit I Am David Sparkle were psyched at being invited to the world-famous South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) in March 2009. But getting their act to their biggest stage yet with a lack of money and many an obstacle promised to knock the stuffing out of them, constantly telling them to take a detour. This local documentary chronicles their journey of passion, belief, and pulling out all the stops - from a fundraising gig to selling T-shirts - to raise sufficient funds in two months. Their spirit is admirable and this documentary... well, its really quite sparkling.

Head to http://texasisthereason.tumblr.com/ for more information.

There will also be a post-screening Q&A session with director Helmi Ali and I Am David Sparkle.

[event] Real Life Speaks Up: The 4th Singapore Indie Doc Fest // 18th-21st Aug 2011 @ The Substation

4th Singapore Indie Doc Fest

Thursday 18 – Sunday 21 August

The Substation Theatre

Admission: Tickets available from the box office

Contact Mish’aal at 6337 7800 / boxoffice@substation.org

Singapore’s first ever international documentary film festival returns, featuring more compelling works, portraying real people, exciting personas and reflecting the trials and tribulations of our time. Indie documentaries that say what they want.

Please go to the 4th Singapore Indie Doc Fest microsite to see full line-up of films and schedule.

[event] Etiquette II // 3rd Aug-28th Aug 2011 @ The Substation

Etiquette, an annual event in its second installment, is a multidisciplinary showcase of art, writing and film, created by, and about women. Addressing gender as a subject of discourse, it uses art as a tool to create spaces within which critical and creative conversations can take place. Featuring an all-female crew of over 30 artists, writers, filmmakers and curators, this year’s event gets down and dirty with pertinent women’s issues that people would rather not discuss at the dinner-table.

Art
Wednesday 3 – Sunday 28 August
The Substation Gallery
Admission: Free

Reception: Wednesday 3 August, 7pm

Documented surgery set to music, photographic setups of family tension, secrets whispered in a back room. Showcasing the work of 12 artists and contemporary craft collective Popin, expect the poignant and poetic as well as the creative and critical with this multidisciplinary exhibition that features established names such as The Substation’s Associate Artist, Hazel Lim, and internationally exhibited, Lynn Lu, together with emerging talents such as photographer Geraldine Kang. Curated by Tania De Rozario & Zarina Muhammad.

Words – Women Out Loud
Thursday 4 August 2011, 7:45-10pm
The Substation Theatre
Admission: Entry by donation

Be a part of the inaugural Women Out Loud, and listen to poetry, prose, and dialogue from nine writers for whom the personal need not necessarily be private. Including readings from award-winning novelist, short-story writer and playwright Ovidia Yu as well as published author-artist Dana Lam, listen your way through an emotional night of first love, supermarket rage, mother-daughter tension and clinical regret in this line-up of words created not for the faint-of-heart. Curated by Tania De Rozario & Zarina Muhammad.

Film
Friday 5 – Saturday 6 August, 7-10pm
The Substation Theatre
Admission: $25 per night or $45 for both nights, available from the box office
Contact Mish’aal at 6337 7800 / boxoffice@substation.org

"Action" has always been a word voiced traditionally in the history of cinema, by a man behind the camera. Action in general, is an activity, an effort, a deed, a step – an initiation. Etiquette’s inaugural film event showcases ten Singaporean and Singapore-based female filmmakers under one roof over one weekend, in celebration of the just-do-it spirit in the film industry. The Saturday night screening will be followed by a Q&A with all participating filmmakers. Curated by Mardhiah Osman & Mabelyn Ow.

Friday 5 August

1. Dirty Bitch | Sun Koh | 10 mins (R21)

2. Substitute | A.D. Chan | 20:32 mins (M18)

3. Come | Kirsten Tan | 22 mins (M18)

4. Overhead Clouds | Yeo Lee Nah | 5 mins (PG)

5. Shout | Lillian Wang | 18 mins (PG)

6. Still Life | Lillian Wang | 9 mins (TBA)

7. Smell of Rain (feature) | Gloria Chee | 93 mins (PG)

Total screening time is 178 mins. No discussion on Friday.

Saturday, 6 August

1. She Shapes a Nation | Dana Lam | 21 mins (PG)

2. Bullet Proof Vest | May Lin Au Yong | 5:34 mins (TBA)

3. Under the Storybook Sky | May Lin Au Yong | 14 mins (PG)

4. Rahim | Murni Mastan | 21 mins (PG)

5. Durai & Saro | Prema Menon | 30 mins (PG)

6. Pink Paddlers | Jasmine Ng | 63 mins (PG)

Supported by Objectifs. All profits from ticket sales will be donated to Associate of Women for Action and Research (AWARE).

Satellite Events:

POPIN Workshops
Saturday 27 – Sunday 28 August, 8-10pm
The Substation Gallery
Admission: by donation

Contemporary craft collective POPIN addresses the undeniable anxiety that accompanies women who feel the need to ensure that their menstrual cycles remain both verbally and physically hidden. Inviting audiences to participate in the creation of a sewn-installation made from materials derived from tampons and sanitary pads, members of the public are drawn into conversations about menstruation, while sitting around the table and contributing to the organic growth of an artwork.

A Short History of Modesty in Southeast Asia: From the Control of Womens’ Selves to their Bodies
by Dr Farish Ahmad Noor
Saturday 6 August, 3-5pm
The Substation Theatre
Admission: by donation

Feminist theory has, since its inception, made inquiries into the relationship between women’s bodies and selves. In this talk, author and political scientist Dr. Farish Noor will present his research on the historical narrative of women’s bodies and roles as well as the social construct of gender-appropriate behaviour through two particular garments made for women over the course of history.