George town Festival 2024
Women’s Film Screening: “A Woman’s Body”
Through the lens of diverse filmmakers, delve into profound narratives that encapsulate the essence of womanhood.
With the theme of “A Woman’s Body”, this curated selection of five international films and four Malaysian films by female directors seeks to focus on the Asian female perspective, shatter stereotypes and biases, and reveal the lived truth of inequality affecting women today. The female body is not only a physical existence, but the carrier of the social, cultural and political issues that mark it.
Through these screenings, panel discussions and post-screening Q&A sessions, we seek to expand the horizons of local audiences and provide a space to amplify historically ignored voices. This space fosters open dialogue and in-depth exchange, delving deep into issues like bodily autonomy, gender equality, and workplace challenges. We hope you will bear witness to the power of cinematic art as a force of cultural resistance and resilience, paving the way for an inclusive society that celebrates differences and stands against injustice.
Movies
Before, Now & Then
Film | Free
By Kamila Andini (Indonesia)
Date & Time
26 July 8pm
In-Person Sharing and Q&A session with Kamila Andini (1 hour)
Duration: 103 minutes
Venue
Digital Penang Event Hall
Indoor
Having lost her family to the war in West Java, Nana remarries and begins a new life. But the past lives on in her dreams.
The Boys Club
Film | Free
By Chen Yih Wen (Malaysia)
Date & Time
27 July 11am
After the screening, there will be an in-person sharing and Q&A session with Chen Yih Wen (Director of The Boys Club), Charlotte Lim (Director of Mian Bao Nv Hai) and Licensed Counsellor Wong Su Zane (1.5 hours)
Duration: 23 minutes
Venue
Digital Penang Event Hall
Indoor
A Malaysian female filmmaker candidly reveals her deeply personal and harrowing filmmaking journey, exposing the troubling reality affecting women today.
Mian Bao Nv Hai 面包女孩
Film | Free
By Charlotte Lim (Malaysia)
Date & Time
27 July 11:30am
After the screening, there will be an in-person sharing and Q&A session with Chen Yih Wen (Director of The Boys Club), Charlotte Lim (Director of Mian Bao Nv Hai) and Licensed Counsellor Wong Su Zane (1.5 hours)
Duration: 30 minutes
Venue
Digital Penang Event Hall
Indoor
Meticulously observed by a patient camera in a small, yet sensitive story, an ordinary nine-year-old Chinese school girl is cautiously introduced to a world she had not imagined before.
In Her Words: The Journey of Indian Women
Film | Free
By Annie Zaidi (India)
Date & Time
27 July 2:30pm
After the screening, there will be a virtual Q&A session with Annie Zaidi (20 minutes)
Duration: 44 minutes
Venue
Digital Penang Event Hall
Indoor
Through conversations with translators, historians and writers, this documentary traces the lives and struggles of Indian women as reflected in their literature, taking viewers on a temporal literary exploration.
Children of the Mist
Film | Free
By Hà Lệ Diễm (Vietnam)
Date & Time
27 July 8pm
After the screening, there will be an in-person sharing and Q&A session with Hà Lệ Diễm (1 hour)
Duration: 92 minutes
Venue
Digital Penang Event Hall
Indoor
12-year-old girl Di harbours strong ambitions within her. Yet, the cultural tradition of bride kidnapping in her North Vietnamese village threatens these aspirations.
Teacher, The Tradition Bearer
Film | Free
By Indrani Kopal (Malaysia)
Date & Time
28 July 11am
After the screening, there will be an in-person sharing and Q&A session with Teacher Indira Manikam (30 minutes)
Duration: 59 minutes
Venue
Digital Penang Event Hall
Indoor
This documentary presents an intimate portrait of Malaysia’s legendary Bharatanatyam dance teacher Indira Manikam, who has kept the sacred tradition alive, vibrant and relevant for the past 50 years.
Into the Night
Film | Free
By Jessica Lee Chu En (Singapore)
Date & Time
28 July 2pm
After the screening, there will be a virtual Q&A session with Jessica Lee Chu En (20 minutes)
Duration: 20 minutes
Venue
Digital Penang Event Hall
Indoor
In amusement parks, cabaret dancers like Rose Chan shone brightly. Despite the societal stigma surrounding their profession, these women exuded compassion towards the less fortunate.
I Am The Beauty Of Your Beauty, I Am The Fear of Your Fear
Film | Free
By Tan Chui Mui (Malaysia)
Date & Time
28 July 2:20pm
Duration: 21 minutes
Venue
Digital Penang Event Hall
Indoor
After tragedy strikes someone close to her, Gita leaves China for Malaysia to search of herself. Haunted by the past, she finds solace in the embrace of a sisterhood who teach her how to fight.
Hidden Letters
Film | Free
By Violet Du Feng, Zhao Qing (China, United States, Norway, Germany)
Date & Time
28 July 8pm
After the screening, there will be a virtual Q&A session with Violet Du Feng (30 minutes)
Duration: 87 minutes
Venue
Digital Penang Event Hall
Indoor
For thousands of years, women in China were forced into oppressive marriages, forbidden to read or write. To cope, they developed a secret language called Nüshu.
Breaking the Silence: Gender-Based Violence and Inequality in Malaysia
Panel Discussion | Free
By Karen Lai and Wong Su Zane (Malaysia)
Date & Time
27 July 4pm-6pm
Duration: 120 minutes
Venue
Digital Penang Event Hall
Indoor
Featuring two distinguished speakers, this panel discussion sheds light on the pervasive issues of gender-based violence and inequality in Malaysia.