Fat Bidin Media

Thanks to everyone who came for the preview screening of The Look-East Project AKA Pandang Ke Timur. All your comments and questions made my day! Also, a big shout out to Mr. John and Mrs. Silva… thanks so much for your support. Last but not least… thanks to Amir and Tuck Cheong for making the screening possible. For those of you who missed it, you will have to wait for its broadcast on ntv7 on Merdeka Eve!

Kelab Seni Filem Malaysia will be previewing The Look-East Project AKA Pandang Ke Timur to the public on Tuesday, 27th March, 8pm, at HELP University-College, Pusat Bandar Damansara. I’ll be showing a couple of my video blogs too, and this includes the short videos of the Jeff Ooi & Rocky court cases (which is part of my next film project called ‘I May Be Malaysian, But I Carry A Big Stick’).

ntv7’s 7 Patrol will be around to hand out freebies and talk about FESTIVAL… Jeff Ooi will be there… I will be there… and if that doesn’t give you a tingly sensation… there will also be hot babes in skimpy baju kurungs pole dancing on stage!

Admission is free… seats are limited… so keep Tuesday evening free and come over or you will have to just wait for the film to air on ntv7 on Merdeka eve to finally see it (yup… that’s the confirmed broadcast date)!

As you all know, I wrote a book which is now on the shelves (and if you didn’t know… now you do!). The New Straits Times recently wrote an article about the publishing company, Content Cradle. What makes it unique is that submission of ideas are done online. Read the article here.

Oh man… I’ve been so busy lately juggling my lecturing, writing, selling The Look-East Project, and doing the making of video for a local movie called ‘Tipu Kanan Tipu Kiri’. It’s a simple romantic comedy produced by ASTRO Shaw and Tarantella Pictures. It’s a co-production between Bollywood and Malaysian filmmakers starring Indonesian stars Titi Kamal (Ada Apa Dengan Cinta, Eiffel I’m in Love), Christian Sugiono (Jomblo, Jakarta Undercover) and Catherine Wilson; alongside Malaysian stars Hans Isaac and Natasha Hudson.

“Rescuing you from television’s deathlike grip.”

I received word today that my film The Look-East Project AKA Pandang Ke Timur has been given an 18PL rating by the uncles and aunties at the Censorship Board. Apparently the film is too political. I’m dumbfounded as to how a simple love story between my cute, sweet girlfriend and I can be considered too political. Read the synopsis and view the video blogs here and judge for yourself.

The 18PL rating means that the film can only be aired on TV after 10:30pm. That means it can’t be shown on the scheduled 3rd March, 8:30pm FESTIVAL slot. But the wonderful and supportive producers at ntv7 have agreed to reschedule my film to another more appropriate time (non-prime time goddammit!). I will keep you guys updated.

Reactions from filmmaker friends when I told them the news:

“Haiya! Post on Malaysian Cinema. Some NGO chick will get turned on!” -Amir Muhammad (The Last Communist, Apa Khabar Orang Kampung)

“Unta!” -Azharr Rudin (The Amber Sexalogy, Benda Aneh Bernama Cinta)

“You are one step closer to your dream of being Amir!” -James Lee (The Beautiful Washing Machine, Before We Fall In Love Again)

“Shit! If your stupid film gets an 18PL rating, what’s going to happen to my upcoming film??” - Liew Seng Tat (3-time MVA Best Short Film Award winner)