A Study on Inter-ethnic Relations through Yasmin Ahmad’s Films

Authors

Hui Yan CHEWFollow

Abstract

The late Yasmin Ahmad was a well-known film director in Malaysia. Her films that portrayed the multi-ethnic and multicultural society of Malaysia had attracted large audiences within the country and had also won many awards in international film festivals. Some critics disparaged Yasmin’s films for desecrating religions and threatening the local cultures, but others hailed her films for the portrayal of the spirit of inter-ethnic understanding. This study will outline the broad features of Malaysian ethnic relations and issues relating to ethnic identity and ethnic borders to place the analysis of the contents of Yasmin’s films in proper perspective. This will be conducted through narrative analysis by examining the plots, roles and dialogues to understand how Yasmin represented inter-ethnic relations in her films Sepet and Talentime.

Recommended Citation

CHEW, Hui Yan (2016) "A Study on Inter-ethnic Relations through Yasmin Ahmad’s Films," Malaysian Journal of Chinese Studies: Vol. 5: No. 2, Article 1.
Available at: https://mjcs.newera.edu.my/journal/vol5/iss2/1