A silent, lonely film

EVERY once in a while, a small, raw, indie production is foisted onto the unsuspecting Malaysian public. These films sometimes even go on to gain rave reviews and accolades in foreign film festivals. Not “commercial” in nature with storylines that often baffle and bewilder the average Joe, nonetheless these are stories that the producers feel they have to tell.

Think James Lee’s Beautiful Washing Machine.

Punggok Rindukan Bulan, from the Malay saying, “like the owl misses the moon”, is about a boy called Sidi (played by Saeful Nazhif Satria).

The poster for PRB is a childlike cartoonish drawing of a boy on top of a flat. Nothing clues you in to the fact that you are about to be dragged into Sidi’s lonely existential world for the next hour and a half.

The film, if you can recognise the location, is set in and about the now non-existent Bukit Chagar flats in downtown Johor Baru. The opening sequence shows Sidi’s parents quarrelling. Fast forward about 10 years or so, and he now lives with his mother and is in secondary school.

Things seem peachy keen if not a little quiet for the two of them with the love between mother and son translating well on screen but shortly after we realise that Mum has left Sidi and Dad, Adman (Sahronizam Noor, Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam).

What transpires next are scenes of Sidi going about his daily life and his interactions with friends and neighbours. Dad now moves into the apartment to take care of Sidi but is more often than not on his fishing jaunts.

You are taken into the life of a male teenager grappling with life, school, girls and loneliness. There are news broadcast quotes from the foreign minister and PM at the hawker stalls where they eat relating to the second bridge linking Singapore and other devices are employed to show that the end is near for the flats.

The English subtitles were spot on, even going to the extent of translating the Malay speak equivalent into WTF and the film, on the whole, was impressive.

This directorial feature debut of 26-year-old Azharr Rudin was well made, had quality direction and acting. But it stirred murkier, darker emotions most people leave unexplored. There is no music throughout and the last scenes are of the flats being torn down.

A silent fitting end to a silent, lonely film.



Punggok Rindukan Bulan is now playing in Golden Screen Cinemas’ International Screens. The film will also be shown at the 27th Vancouver International Film Festival 2008 and the 13th Pusan International Film Festival.