Former members of the outlawed Communist Party of Malaysia tell their story. They live as farmers in exile in Thailand. Their memories of the decades-long guerilla war are interrupted by signs of disturbance and interwoven with a popular Thai radio play.
Amir Muhammad examines the history of the Communist Party of Malaysia, as he has already done in his film "Lelaki komunis terakhir" (The Last Communist). Despite their participation in the battle for the country’s independence, the party was constantly accused of being tied to China and their atheistic philosophy in a Muslim dominated country. The protagonists' memories are not illustrated with archival material. Instead we see the men in their village, which is shown in radiantly clear, occasionally static images. Using the interruptions in the narration, Muhammad tries to get closer to reality. The radio play functions like a parable of the country's relationship to the party, and is based on Shakespeare's "A Winter's Tale". It is the story of a king who accuses his wife of adultery and therefore holds her prisoner.
Gabriela Seidel
Production: Da Huang Pictures, Kuala Lumpur
Screenplay: Amir Muhammad
Cinematographer: Albert Hue
Editor: Akashdeep Singh
Format: DigiBeta PAL (shot on Mini-DV), Color
Running time: 72 minutes
Languages: Malay, Thai
