Making Inroads into a Taboo Subject: Film Production by Malaysian Chinese

Authors

Hui-Yan Chew, Graduate School of Humanities, Nagoya University, JapanFollow

Abstract

This is a study of a sensitive subject seen in the context of the national and ethnic identities of the Malaysian Chinese community. Through the medium of the movie, a Malaysian filmmaker currently living and working in Taiwan explores his “multi-layered” identities based on his experiences and encounters as well as those of sections of the Chinese community. Films about the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) is a politically taboo subject in Malaysia. Drawing on an analysis of a film entitled Absent Without Leave directed by the filmmaker, this study begins by examining his self-identities in the larger international context. Textual analysis is then used to examine the representation of the MCP members in the film and their identities as the Chinese of Malaysia. The final part focuses on the film as a medium to portray personal narratives to throw light on certain untold episodes of the country’s history.

Recommended Citation

Chew, Hui-Yan (2020) "Making Inroads into a Taboo Subject: Film Production by Malaysian Chinese," Malaysian Journal of Chinese Studies: Vol. 9: No. 1, Article 1.
Available at: https://mjcs.newera.edu.my/journal/vol9/iss1/1