British Council Malaysia - The Uncertain Kingdom Q&A (2022)
The Uncertain Kingdom is an extraordinary collection of short films commissioned to capture a snapshot of the United Kingdom in 2020, as seen by visionary filmmakers. Featuring a range of genres and styles which mirror the diverse creatives behind the films, and touching on critical subjects including migration, climate change, disability and homelessness, the collection reflects the filmmakers’ unique perspectives on our unprecedented times.
The British Council presents a selection of films from The Uncertain Kingdom, made available free online for a limited time, as well as an accompanying panel discussion with Nadia Denton, Badrul Hisham Ismail and Deborah Germaine Augustin, which draws parallels between Malaysia and the UK on some of the themes explored in The Uncertain Kingdom — including race, national identity, migration and disability — and explores ways of bridging the gap towards a more inclusive and cohesive society.
Online Screening
24 September – 10 October 2021
Platform: Vimeo
*List of films shown are in the drop-down box at the bottom of this page
*The recording is in English with Malaysian Sign Language (BIM) interpretation
Speakers
Nadia Denton has worked in the UK film industry for 15 years as an Impact Producer, Curator and Author. She specialises in Nigerian Cinema and coined the term BEYOND NOLLYWOOD. She has worked with the Berlinale EFM, British Film Institute, British Council, London Film School, Tribeca Film Festival and Comic Relief. Her books include The Nigerian Filmmaker’s Guide to Success: Beyond Nollywood.
Badrul Hisham Ismail is a writer and filmmaker based in Kuala Lumpur. His films have been featured in a number of international film festivals, including the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Art of the Real at Lincoln Center New York, the Singapore International Film Festival and the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival. He is also the Founder and Content Editor of Svara, a Malay-language periodical journal on art, culture and society, and the Director of Programs at IMAN Research, a local think tank focusing on socio-political and security matters.
Deborah Germaine Augustin is a writer born and raised in Malaysia, who dreams of a world where we all have freedom of movement. She is the Membership Engagement Manager and Malaysia Lead at New Naratif, an online journalism platform and independent media outlet that publishes content on Southeast Asian current affairs.
FILMS (Running time: 103 mins)
Sucka Punch (4 mins)
Director: Iggy LDN
In a rallying cry of protest, a young woman exposes the insidious ways brands use social media to disguise their true intentions.
The Conversation (13 mins)
Director: Lanre Malaolu
Exploring the conversation black people face when communicating their racial experience to white partners through a dynamic fusion of dance and dialogue.
Pavement (12 mins)
Director: Jason Wingard
A modern parable about a woman who sees a homeless man literally sinking into the pavement and her attempts to save him in an indifferent world.
Swan (9 mins)
Director: Sophie King
A marriage is tested when the patriotic husband’s success in a citizenship challenge means he will soon be turned into a swan.
What’s in a Name? (11 mins)
Director: Runyararo Mapfumo
A handful of Brits explore the challenges they’ve encountered with their non-Western names and celebrate how their names express who they are.
Verisimilitude (13 mins)
Director: David Proud
An unemployed disabled actress gets a job advising an obnoxious up-and-coming star how to perform a disability for his latest role.
Motherland (13 mins)
Director: Ellen Evans
Jamaican-born Brits who have been forcibly returned to their “home country” by the UK government describe their experiences.
The Life Tree (15 mins)
Director: Paul Frankl
The discovery of a healing tree brings hope to a Bolivian migrant whose son is close to death from plastic pollution.
Death Meets Lisolette (13 mins)
Director: Guy Jenkin
After her neighbours become suddenly immortal, a young girl finds the Grim Reaper locked in a barn and amenable to making a deal for his freedom.
