6horts

$15.00

6horts is something I made in 2002 under the informal motto of: "Other people can do it better, but I can do it cheaper." This cycle of six shorts does not have any actors and was made with the most minimal of means. But it is my take on various aspects of life here in colourful Malaysia.

A top celebrity (M. Nasir) walked out of a screening of 6horts because he complained it was too much like "reading a book." So be warned: It's not meant for the type of person who makes a living from Akademi Fantasia.

They were made in the order in which they appear on the DVD. The first one, Lost, was inspired by an essay by Phillip Lopate on "the essay-film." By sheer coincidence or Divine will, a series of events happened just after I read his essay, and those events became the putative plot of Lost.

The very last one, Pangyau, was shot by Naeim Ghalili. This was our first time working together and a few years later we co-directed a 35mm feature film, Susuk, which cost 200 times more than 6horts but is not necessarily 200 times better.

Oh yes, the bonus short 18MP is quite special to me. It is one of Jins Shamsuddin's finest performances! His impersonation of a boot-licking politician is right up there with his Jefri Zain - and I am glad I was there to see it. - Amir Muhammad, July 2008.

Director: Amir Muhammad
Year of Production: 2002
Country of Production: Malaysia
Duration: 60 mins
Language: English/Malay/Cantonese
Subtitle : English
Shooting format: MiniDV
System: PAL
Aspect Ratio: 4:3 (1.33:1)
Film Format: DVCam
More info: Http://6horts.tripod.com/

Highlighting the ridiculous in things we all take for granted as normal, 6horts contains the titles as listed below:

Lost

"An internet-specific portrait of the humorous, Kafkaesque interactions of ndividual identity and bureaucratic indifference." - Netpac/FIPRESCI Jury citation, 2002 Singapore International Film Festival "Charming ... It is in its unpretentious forthrightness that LOST sparkles and illuminates, educates and entertains, whilst serving as an eloquent reflection and criticism of the times we live in." - Yaanie, The Malay Mail (Jan 17 2002) "Writer/Director Amir Muhammad's documentary takes a wry and satirical look at one missing ID card in modern day Malaysia" - Brian Walters, British Film Institute

Award:

Critics Prize, Best Asian Digital Film, 2002 Singapore International Film Festival

Festivals:
2002 Cinemanila International Film Festival
2002 Thai Short Film & Video Festival
2003 Eksperimento Film Festival (The Philippines)
2003 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (North American Premiere)
2003 Oberhausen International Short Film Festival (European Premiere)
2003 Nokia Short (No) Film Festival (Thailand)
2003 New York Asian American International Film Festival
2003 CINEFAN Film Festival (India)
2003 Georgetown Independent Film Festival (USA)

“279, 654 Malaysian identity cards were reported missing in the year 2001. This is the story of just one.”

Duration: 9.5 min
Language: English
Shooting format: DV (Colour)
Writer/Director/Camera/Producer: Amir Muhammad
Editor: James Lee
Extract from poem "IC" by Kubhaer T. Jethwani
Special Thanks: Sharaad Kuttan

Friday

"A lovely take on religion" - Joan Lau, The Edge (12 August 2002)

Festivals:

2003 Singapore International Film Festival
2003 New York Asian American International Film Festival (North American Premiere)
2003 CINEFAN Film Festival, India
2003 Torino Film Festival (European Premiere)
2004 Cinemasia Amsterdam Film Festival

“Sacred and profane thoughts during an afternoon at the National Mosque.”

Duration: 8 min
Language: English
Shooting Format: DV (Colour)
Writer/Director/Camera/Producer: Amir Muhammad
Editor: James Lee
Extract from essay by Farish A. Noor
Post-Production Support: VHQ

Mona

Festivals:

2003 Singapore International Film Festival
2003 CINEFAN Film Festival, India

“The notorious murderess gets the radio-serial treatment. What does a girl have to do to get attention here?”

Duration: 6.5 minutes
Language: Malay (with English subtitles)
Format: DV (Colour and B&W)
Writer/Director/Producer: Amir Muhammad
Voice-Overs: Farah Ashikin & Fahmi Fadzil
Post Production Sound: AddAudio Sdn Bhd.
Post-Production Support: Kino-i

Checkpoint

Festivals:

2002 Cinemanila International Film Festival
2003 Singapore International Film Festival
2003 CINEFAN Film Festival, India
2004 Cinemasia Amsterdam Film Festival (European premiere)

“Travel in the post-Osama world can get complicated - especially if you insist on travelling cheap.”

Duration: 7 min
Language: English
Shooting Format: DV (Colour and B&W)
Writer/Director/Camera/Producer: Amir Muhammad
Editor: Hann
Still Photography: Danny Lim
Extracts from poem "The Johor Incident" by Alfian bin Sa'at

Kamunting

"An ironic journey into a country's heart of darkness.""An ironic journey into a country's heart of darkness."
- Jury citation, 2003 Singapore International Film Festival

Award:

Best Asian Digital Film, 2003 Singapore International Film Festival

Festivals:

2003 CINEFAN Film Festival
2003 Thai Short Film & Video Festival
2003 Vancouver International Film Festival (North American Premiere)
2003 Manchester International Short Film Festival (European Premiere)
2003 Cinemasia Amsterdam Film Festival

“A visit to a prisoner of Malaysia's notorious Internal Security Act. But is photography permitted?”

Duration: 15 min
Language: English & Malay (with English subtitles)
Shooting Format: DV (Colour)
Writer/Director/Producer: Amir Muhammad
Camera: Jon Yap
Editors: Hann & Zulkarnaen Kassim
Music: Jerome Kugan
Voice-Over: Nam Ron
Extracts from the book "Bidak di Papan Catur" compiled by Raja Petra Kamaruddin
Post-Production Sound: AddAudio
Colour Grading: VHQ
Post-Production Support: Kino-i

Pangyau

Awards:

Best Short (Open Category), 2003 Substation Emergency Filmmaking Project(Singapore)
Bronze Award, Best Short Film, 2002 Malaysian Video Awards

Festivals:

2003 Singapore International Film Festival
2003 San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival (North American premiere)
2003 Q Cinema (Fort Worth)
2003 CINEFAN Film Festival (India)
2003 QueerDoc (Sydney)
2003 Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
2004 Cinemasia Amsterdam Film Festival (European premiere)
2004 Images Festival (Toronto)

“When I took a few Cantonese lessons, I remembered a friend who is no longer here. Which is not to say he's dead.”

Duration: 12.5 min
Language: Malay and Cantonese (with English subtitles)
Shooting Format: DV (Colour)
Writer/Director/Producer: Amir Muhammad
Camera: Naeim Ghalili
Editor: Zulkarnaen Kassim at Finas POST
Music: Jerome Kugan
Voice-Over: Fahmi Fadzil
Post-Production Sound: AddAudio
Post-Production Support: Kino-i

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