This July, the Center for Southeast Asian Studies remembers Malaysian filmmaker, storyteller, and humanitarian Yasmin Ahmad.

[Source: malaysiana1] Yasmin Ahmad (January 07, 1958 – July 25, 2009) was a critically-acclaimed multi-award winning film director, writer and scriptwriter from Malaysia and was also the executive creative director at Leo Burnett Kuala Lumpur.

Her television commercials and films are well-known in Malaysia for their humour, heart and love that cross cultural barriers, in particular her ads for Petronas, the national oil and gas company.

Her works have won multiple awards both within Malaysia and internationally.

A graduate in arts majoring in psychology from Newcastle University, she worked as a trainee banker in 1982 for two weeks.

She then joined IBM as a marketing representative.

Yasmin began her career in advertising as a copywriter at Ogilvy & Mather in the same period.

In 1993 she moved to Leo Burnett as creative director and eventually became executive creative director.

Her first film was Rabun (Failing Sight) in 2002.

Yasmin’s films have won many international awards and praise from critics and public alike.

Most of her films have been screened at the Berlin, San Francisco, Singapore and Cannes international film festivals.

Her films were featured in a special retrospective at the 19th Tokyo International Film Festival 2006.

They were also featured in a 2007 retrospective by the Centre of Southeast Asian Studies, University of Hawaii, and the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

Yasmin passed away of a stroke at 11.25pm on July 25, 2009.

She fell unconscious in her chair at 3.30pm on July 23 at private television station TV3 in Petaling Jaya.

At that time she was having a meeting with the TV3 management and Malaysian pop queen Datuk Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin for a coming project.

Yasmin was hospitalised at the Damansara Specialist Hospital a short distance from TV3 and underwent neurosurgery on the same day.

She never regained consciousness.

She was buried in Subang Jaya, where she lived.

Yasmin made six films in her short but illustrious career.

They were Rabun (2003), Sepet [Chinese Eyes] (2004), Gubra [Anxiety] (2006), Mukhsin (2007), Muallaf [The Reverter] (2008) and Talentime (2009).

She also acted in the films Rain Dogs and Susuk, among others.

She won several awards for her television commercials that promoted national unity and humanitarian values, in Malaysia and Singapore.

Sepet won best film in the Malaysian Film Festival 2005. Gubra won best film the following year.

Sepet also won the Asian Film Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival 2005.

Mukhsin won Best Feature Film at the Berlin International Film Festival 2007 and Best Asean (Southeast Asian) Film at the Cinemanila International Film Festival 2007.

Muallaf won the Asian Film Award – Special Mention at the Tokyo International Film Festival 2008.

Yasmin was the eldest of three siblings from Muar, Johor. She was of Malay and Japanese ancestry.

She is survived by her parents, a brother and a sister, and her husband Tan Yew Leong, the creative director of Leo Burnett.

flickr | imdb | 2007 UH Yasmin Ahmad Retrospective (twitch)
yasmin blogs project | yasmin the storyteller | yasmin the filmmaker

Most people know Yasmin Ahmad as a critically acclaimed filmmaker – but what about Yasmin Ahmad the poet? Keeping with this week’s Valentine theme, CSEAS presents Ahmad’s poem, When you planted a kiss in the valley of my shoulder, from the late artist’s blog.

When you planted a kiss in the valley of my shoulder,
my lips were parted, but I was not speaking;
my eyes were closed, but I was never more awake;
I stopped breathing, but I was never more alive.

Today,
somewhere along the face of the earth,
rocks are descending and ships are dying.
Hungry fires roar through the gaping mouths
of concrete dragons.
The plains are grazed by poisoned cattle
and the sky is black and choking with greed.

But tonight,
in a sleepy flat in Klang Valley,
for one brief moment,
every clock and every watch in every room
stopped moving.
I smelled distant jasmine and tuberoses.
My tongue was laced with the aftertaste
of honey and almonds
and long lost hopes.
And in that brief, translucent moment,
the dead and wrinkled skin of my past
fell in a heap at my feet.

For once,
the arrows of time missed me,
the breath of angels embraced me,
when you kissed me
in the valley of my shoulder.

more poems | Yasmin the Storyteller (2004 – 2008) | Yasmin the Filmmaker (2008 – 2009) | Book – Yasmin Ahmad’s Films (Matahari 2009)

Reposted from: Yasmin the Storyteller
Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Si Adam bukan main posing lagi. Si Habri bukan main hensem, rasa macam nak ciiiiiiiiiium pipi dia.

Si Kekure bukan main masam muka dia. Yang si Jian tu kejam mata apa hal?

And da so-called boss punya muka tembam semacam!

For those of you who didn’t turn up, eat your hearts out. The film was outstanding, and the nasi ayam was worthy of a Fipresci award.

And for those who did turn up, wasn’t it just so lovely to see Keigo’s sweet face again?

Yasmin
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I am optimistic and sentimental to the point of being annoying, especially to people who think that being cynical and cold is cool. Everyday, I thank Allah for everyday things like the ability to breathe, the ability to love, the ability to laugh, and the ability to eat and drink.

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This photo was taken on June 24, 2005 using a Nikon E4200.
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Reposted from: Yasmin the Storyteller
Friday, June 24, 2005

Last night, we watched my personal favourite film of all time.

(Or rather, some of The Storytellers Club members watched it, while I typed away furiously the rest of “Gubra” in my office.)

So, members. I’d like to hear your take on the film, in as much detail as possible.

As for me, four scenes in this film moved me the most – Billy explaining to the class how he tamed the kestrel, the little boy who was forced to keep his friends’ cigarettes in his pocket and subsequently got caned, the girl reading that psalm about shepherds and lost sheep at morning school assembly, and Billy’s response to the teacher asking him why he felt the other kids liked to pick on him.

These scenes broke my heart, mended it, and made me cry.

Yasmin
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I am optimistic and sentimental to the point of being annoying, especially to people who think that being cynical and cold is cool. Everyday, I thank Allah for everyday things like the ability to breathe, the ability to love, the ability to laugh, and the ability to eat and drink.

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This photo was taken on June 21, 2005.
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Reposted from: Yasmin the Storyteller
Sunday, June 19, 2005

“I draw these letters
as the day draws its images
and blows over them
and does not return”

I have my take on what this means, but I’d like to hear what yours are. Any takers? Jason? Kekure? Mute?

Yasmin
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I am optimistic and sentimental to the point of being annoying, especially to people who think that being cynical and cold is cool. Everyday, I thank Allah for everyday things like the ability to breathe, the ability to love, the ability to laugh, and the ability to eat and drink.

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This photo was taken on July 4, 2004.
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Reposted from: Yasmin the Storyteller
Thursday, June 16, 2005

Eleh!
You tu memang gitu.
Kejap nak,
kejap tak nak.
Takut I sentuh,
takut I tak sentuh.
Bila I chakap hello,
you mengeluh.
Bila I chakap bye-bye,
you berserabai.

Sudahlah.
I dah malas.
Tak de masa.
Banyak kerja lain.
Banyak mata lain
yang gian nak
ber-tango
dengan mata I.
Banyak lidah lain
yang hauskan
bibir I.

Bibir I yang tebal tak tebal,
nipis tak nipis.
Senyum atau chemik,
sentiasa manis.
Bibir yang basah
berginchu merah,
cherah secherah-cherahnya.

Bayangkan,
seperti yang you pernah bayangkan.
Bibir I, di bibir you.
Bibir I, di telinga you.
Di leher you.
Di dada you.
Di perut you.
Di pusat you.
Di peha you.
Di sana you
dan di situ you.

Bayangkanlah.
Jangan malu-malu.
Bukan I tak tahu.
Memang you pernah bayangkan dulu.

Eleh!
You tu memang gitu.
Dah tahu
buat tak tahu.

Yasmin
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I am optimistic and sentimental to the point of being annoying, especially to people who think that being cynical and cold is cool. Everyday, I thank Allah for everyday things like the ability to breathe, the ability to love, the ability to laugh, and the ability to eat and drink.

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This photo was taken on June 16, 2005.
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Reposted from: Yasmin the Storyteller
Thursday, June 16, 2005

Flecks of light.

For example… the flecks of light in the rays of the sun.
The flecks that seep through the crack in the roof.
The ever moving flecks – sparkling, bright, transparent.
The flecks that are warm; soothing to the touch.

Perhaps the child was touched by those flecks
who crawled across the floor in the middle of the house.
Perhaps just one fleck was spotted first, then two, then four
and soon, a spray, darting wildly, shimmering, here, there…

At times excited and keen to play, he moves;
attempts to chase the flecks, corner them,
tries to catch those tiny balls of light
but catches nothing.

Yasmin
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I am optimistic and sentimental to the point of being annoying, especially to people who think that being cynical and cold is cool. Everyday, I thank Allah for everyday things like the ability to breathe, the ability to love, the ability to laugh, and the ability to eat and drink.

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This photo was taken on November 5, 2004 using a Canon Digital IXUS 400.
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Reposted from: Yasmin the Storyteller
Wednesday, June 15, 2005

“Tiger Tiger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye.
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies.
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat.
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp.
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears
And watered heaven with their tears:
Did he smile His work to see?
Did he who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger Tiger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?”

Can someone tell me why this poem is good? Or if in fact it IS at all good?

Yasmin
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I am optimistic and sentimental to the point of being annoying, especially to people who think that being cynical and cold is cool. Everyday, I thank Allah for everyday things like the ability to breathe, the ability to love, the ability to laugh, and the ability to eat and drink.

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This photo was taken on June 11, 2005 using a Canon Digital IXUS 700.
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Reposted from: Yasmin the Storyteller
Tuesday, June 07, 2005

Dad’s eating,
staring
straight ahead,
looking at
no one.
My younger brother tells him
his glasses are all
steamed up
from the rice.
He says
yes
and wipes them
on his sleeve.
I’m not sure
what’s on his mind
but I’m pretty sure
it’s not me,
or my brother
or mother, either.
If I ask him
what he’s thinking
he’ll just say,
“Nothing special.”
Once I saw
a photo
of Dad as a boy.
He was standing
in the middle of a
big field
squinting hard
from the sun.
He still has that expression
sometimes.
He holds on to a bite of yam
with his
chopsticks.
A gold tooth shows
when he opens his mouth.
Dad,
I hope you live a long time.

Yasmin
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I am optimistic and sentimental to the point of being annoying, especially to people who think that being cynical and cold is cool. Everyday, I thank Allah for everyday things like the ability to breathe, the ability to love, the ability to laugh, and the ability to eat and drink.

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This photo was taken on April 25, 2004 using a Canon Digital IXUS 400.
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Reposted from: Yasmin the Storyteller
Monday, June 06, 2005

When a young man
in Kamchatka
dreams
of a giraffe,
a young girl
in Mexico
waits
for the bus
in the morning haze.

When a little girl
in New York
rolls over
in her bed
with a smile,
a little boy
in Rome
winks
at the morning sun
that colours
the columned capital.

On this earth,
always,
somewhere,
morning is starting.
We are relaying morning,
from longitude
to longitude,
taking turns,
protecting earth,
as it were.

Prick up your ears
a while
before you go to sleep,
and somewhere,
far away,
you will hear
an alarm clock
ringing,
as proof that
someone
has firmly caught
the morning
you’ve
passed on.

Yasmin
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I am optimistic and sentimental to the point of being annoying, especially to people who think that being cynical and cold is cool. Everyday, I thank Allah for everyday things like the ability to breathe, the ability to love, the ability to laugh, and the ability to eat and drink.
View Complete Profile

This photo was taken on December 31, 2003 using a Canon Digital IXUS 400.
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