Gadoh: An Experience worth Experiencing
A group of students learn a lesson of life, courage, and mutual acceptance through the teaching of one man.
Produced by human rights communication centre, Komas, and from film director, Shahili Bin Abdan (a.k.a Namron) and Brenda Decker, comes a story which highlights on the issues Malaysia still faces till today. “Gadoh”, which is Malaysian slur for “Fight”, is a 70 minute movie which tells a tale of a group of teenagers who fought each other along racial lines. The cycle of hatred and violence worsen due to their environment and school.
A fight between a group of Chinese and Malay students made the news, resulting in the defamation of the school’s reputation. To resolve the matter, Cikgu Anne (Maya Arissa Tan Abdullah), a teacher from the said school, suggested making a theatre club to bring the students together with a performance to redeem the school. Enter Azman Hashim (played by Namron), Anne’s old university friend and theatre activist who reluctantly accepted his friend’s offer to help the kids and prepare them for the showcase.
The film did not hold back on its portrayal of Malaysian society. The presence of student smoking, underage drinking, and racist insults, among other things, hits closer to home than people would perceive. The cinematography captures the essence of everyday situations that is still alive within the country.
Unfortunately, the film was banned for public screening by FINAS (or "National Film Development Corporation Malaysia", the central government agency for the local film industry) because of its taboo subject regarding about racism.
One student from the movie truly delivered the message with this quote, "Gelap. Apa yang aku lihat hanyalah kegelapan. Mata ini untuk melihat, tapi apa yang nak dilihat jika semuanya gelap? Ini cerita aku, cerita kami, cerita kita yang hidup dalam kegelapan."
There are some flaws that one can point out throughout Gadoh, but all in all, it is a definite watch and an experience worth experiencing.
A group of students learn a lesson of life, courage, and mutual acceptance through the teaching of one man.
Produced by human rights communication centre, Komas, and from film director, Shahili Bin Abdan (a.k.a Namron) and Brenda Decker, comes a story which highlights on the issues Malaysia still faces till today. “Gadoh”, which is Malaysian slur for “Fight”, is a 70 minute movie which tells a tale of a group of teenagers who fought each other along racial lines. The cycle of hatred and violence worsen due to their environment and school.
A fight between a group of Chinese and Malay students made the news, resulting in the defamation of the school’s reputation. To resolve the matter, Cikgu Anne (Maya Arissa Tan Abdullah), a teacher from the said school, suggested making a theatre club to bring the students together with a performance to redeem the school. Enter Azman Hashim (played by Namron), Anne’s old university friend and theatre activist who reluctantly accepted his friend’s offer to help the kids and prepare them for the showcase.
The film did not hold back on its portrayal of Malaysian society. The presence of student smoking, underage drinking, and racist insults, among other things, hits closer to home than people would perceive. The cinematography captures the essence of everyday situations that is still alive within the country.
Unfortunately, the film was banned for public screening by FINAS (or "National Film Development Corporation Malaysia", the central government agency for the local film industry) because of its taboo subject regarding about racism.
One student from the movie truly delivered the message with this quote, "Gelap. Apa yang aku lihat hanyalah kegelapan. Mata ini untuk melihat, tapi apa yang nak dilihat jika semuanya gelap? Ini cerita aku, cerita kami, cerita kita yang hidup dalam kegelapan."
There are some flaws that one can point out throughout Gadoh, but all in all, it is a definite watch and an experience worth experiencing.