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Passengers & Crew of the Argos

In writing my feature article about the Freedom Film Fest 2008, which made a stop in Kuching last month, I had the novelty of being censored. I wasn’t aware that there was an official directive regarding this issue because I’m at the feature desk, where we write about unimportant things like movies and food. If the sub-editor didn’t catch it, my ass will probably be sitting unemployed somewhere.

I’m not gonna bother reposting my article here, but I would like to highlight two things I learned about freedom:

1. Print

A couple of my fellow journalists, when alerted that the FFF is in town and presented with the programme, remarked that they did a crap job publicising it here. Some were interested in attending, but were otherwise wrapped up by other things already.

I didn’t hear about it myself until I received an invitation via Facebook two days before it started. I brought this up with FFF coordinator Elaine Foster, and she told press releases were sent out to the Kuching media a month before they came. I believe her.

2. Web

The wonderful thing about the web is that everything’s readily available there, if you’d only look.

The only film featured at FFF that was shot in Sarawak is something called “What Rainforest?“, which highlighted an issue that is better known outside Sarawak than it is within, thanks to the reason why I got censored. The Kuching audience in the theatre that afternoon were very interested. Most readily admitted that they had no idea this is happening and they asked a lot of questions.

The people behind the film have uploaded the whole thing online, which you can view here. I also have the DVD, which you are welcome to borrow if you prefer it in that format.

We’ll file this whole affair under “things I probably won’t have noticed to begin with”. Thanks, cogwheels of fate!

Proof that I was there.

– Both photos courtesy of FFF.

See the original entry at:

Shades of Freedom

See you there!

Related posts

• Words-Worth II
• Words Like Birds

See the original entry at:

Remember Sunday!

I just want to mention that Words-Worth! II is happening the first Sunday of August, and if all my performers show up, it would be the biggest gathering of writers and poets since I started organising this kinda event.

Date: 3 Aug 2008, Sunday
Time: 3.30pm
Venue: bing! coffee company, Jalan Padungan

Go here for more information.

I haven’t figured out what I’ll be reading yet. Knowing me, I’ll wait till the last minute before cobbling something together.

Finding people to read for us is usually a pain in the ass. I’m grateful to our regulars, a great bunch of people who need no persuasion, but it’s nice to have new faces every now and then. There’s not enough writers/poets to have regular events, and fresh material isn’t that easy to come by for most of us! Besides, you’ll get tired if we have another event and oh, it’s them again.

Whatever your excuse is, at least one of the regulars can identify with.

So you don’t know if you can stand up in front of a crowd. Do what I do - keep your mouth near the microphone and your eyes on the page.

You don’t think your material is good enough? Every writer is their own worst critic. If anything, it’ll give you a reason to push yourself harder.

Besides, the networking is great. Nothing quite like another writer or poet’s feedback or support. Writing is lonely work.

See you there!

See the original entry at:

Words-Worth! II

Words-Worth went pretty well. We read to a small but attentive audience of friends and strangers in bing! and it was nice seeing my fellow performers under the literary context again. Most of us have done it at least once (Victor and Robert) or twice (Azreen and me) before. Peter is new to the event, but he’s a veteran speaker so this must have been a walk in the park for him. Fariah is our MC again, which is nice because she knows her stuff. She also knows most of us, so she can nail down little things a complete stranger won’t know.

We also did a spot promo for A.D.U.H. Here is the blurb:

A.D.U.H. (Assorted Diaries of Unspeakable Horror)

A.D.U.H. is inspired by ‘Cringe Night’ in the USA, an event where adults will read the often-embarassing things they wrote as kids or teenagers:

* diaries/journals
* old letters
* old poems or stories

If it makes you cringe and want to burn the thing, it’s probably the kind of stuff we’re looking for.

You do not have to be a writer or poet. It’s more fun that way.

We’re looking for a few brave souls for an upcoming show. Wanna lay it all bare for us?

You know where to reach me.

The title of this post came from a Chumbawamba song called “(Words Flew) Right Around the World“.

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Words like birds