Sunday, July 26, 2009

In Memory Of : Yasmin Ahmad ( 1958 - 2009 )

Today, our Nation mourns the death of Yasmin Ahmad ( 1 July 1958 - 25 July 2009 ), a critically acclaimed multi-award winning film director, writer and scriptwriter, after suffering from a serious stroke a few days back. Her television commercials and films are well-known in Malaysia for their multiracial depictions, humour, heart and love, in particularly, her ads for Petronas, Malaysia's only Top 500 Fortune Company. ( you can read more of her profile in wikipedia and facebook )

Her movie, SEPET ( 2004 ), has brought her many accolades such as the Best Film in the 18th Malaysian Film Festival 2005 and the 18th Tokyo International Film Festival 2005. Sepet also remains my first and still is, the only Malay movie i had ever watched in a cinema ( at KLCC some more with the Horny BF ). I remembered the crowd in the cinema was filled with multiracial cinema-goers too ( For those who are not from Malaysia, however hard & proud our politicians trying to depict Malaysia as a model utopia for a multiracial country, people of different races seldom watches movies from other races; unless it's worth watching like Sepet, or Jackie Chan's movie, or even Shah Rukh Khan & our late P.Ramlee's movie ...That's the real situation that exist in Malaysia at the moment, kinda sad isn't it..)

Yasmin Ahmad truly epitomized the term on "1 Malaysia" is all about. Her movies & commercials always manage to touch the heart of All Malaysians. She defied the racist critics and peer pressures from narrow-minded nationalists whn her movie "Sepet", a love story between a Chinese boy and a Malay girl, won many awards and was a box-office hit especially among "Malaysians".

And how can we forget, the numerous Petronas Ads she gave us....Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Hari Raya and Merdeka...Every year we'll be glued on the TV, feeling amused and giggled at her funny yet multiracial ads.
( FYI, the ads are only available on national TV. RTM, TV3, NTV7, TV8 and not in Astro..That is why, people who only watches Astro and aunties who only watches Wah Lai Toi in there life, is totally clueless about the ads...For the past 2 years, i admit in my rented place, me & my landlord only watches Astro channels..hehehe...and i'm also totally clueless of the festive ads because Astro has little or "langsung takde" festive ads { pathetic right?! } except when i'm back in my hometown, i'll be exposed to all sorts of ads b'cuz i dun have an Astro back home =P )

Chinese New Year 2005 - Little Stick


Chinese New Yew Year 2006 - The Four Old Women -- Hahaha...Tis ad is definitely the most memorable ad for all Hokkien-Lang and also for me! =)


Chinese New Year 2007 -- Not by Yasmin Ahmad, but just to share it with u guys too..


Chinese New Year 2008 - Reunion Dinner


Chinese New Year 2009


Deepavali 2006


Deepavali 2008 -- I Want To Be A Pilot


Hari Raya 2007


Merdeka 2005 - Merdeka Sunat -- A very funny ad!


Merdeka / National Day 2007 - Tan Hong Ming In Love -- Another award-winning ad in conjuction of Malaysia's 50th National Day Celebration


LAstly, my sincere condolences to the family of the late Yasmin Ahmad; her husband, Tan Yew Leong; relatives and friends. May God bless her soul and we will forever remember all the sweet moments you have gave us all these years!

7 comments:

Horny BF said...

thanks for the videos of her previous works.
indeed a great loss to the country. still remember Sepet being our 1st Malay movie at the cinema. and the last.

C'est la vie said...

I almost shed my tears when I was watching these. Thanks for sharing. *sob sob*

simonlover said...

@Horny BF: Sweet memories hor...

@Freedom09: No prob...

William said...

And I just finished watching "Sepet" recently. Arty stuff unlike her ads. But undeniably, she was talented.

Gratitude said...

Thanks for your effort in compilin the youtubes. We'll miss her artistry. :)
+Ant+

Gratitude said...

Just watched the Hokkein ad..... my 1st time.... simply loved it.
+Ant+

simonlover said...

Gratitude: My whole family loved the Hokkien ad...Andy Lau ah...Andy Lau.. =)

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