SYNOPSIS
Mastura and E.J, both are good friend studying abroad in Perth, Australia. E.J is a top student who receives scholarship from the university in pursuing her course. However, Mastura has failed to convince E.J in continuing her studies when E.J has decided to marry Brother Musa, an Islamic fundamentalist who led the religious extremist group. Brother Musa always preaches Muslim to separate them from those western cultures which they think are immoral and going against their Islamic beliefs. Due to different interpretation of Islam, the friendship between Mastura and E.J has changed after E.J became the 2nd wife of Brother Musa. She is forbidden from mixing with Mastura and her friends by Brother Musa and his mentally deranged first wife, Hani. After Mastura has finished her studies in Perth, she returns to Malaysia and decided to join voluntary work to help the society. Mastura’s good intention is supported by Halim, who has experience in voluntary work and serves as a volunteer doctor in the Lebanese refugees’ camp. Halim encourages Mastura to join Rescaid, a voluntary organization which helps children refugees from Palentine. Rescaid is headed by Dr. Sardar, a strong and courage Palestinian woman who very commits in Rescaid activities. Along with Rescaid activities and her work, Mastura falls in love with Kamal, her company’s Managing Director. At first, Mastura is disappointed because Kamal has married. However, the relationship between Mastura and Kamal recovers after he gets a divorce. Later, Mastura managed to convince E.J, who has returns to Malaysia and Kamal to join Rescaid. Rescaid’s activities are successful and well supported by the Malaysian. However, it has offended some parties. A sudden bombing at the Rescaid office has seriously injures Mastura. But, this tragedy never breaks Mastura’s determination in helping the children from Palentine. She is back to join the Rescaid team after she has recovered from coma.
REVIEWS
“Selubung” is an extraordinary Malaysian film directed by a London-educated woman, Shuhaimi Baba in the year of 1992. “Selubung” refers to a piece of cloth, worn exclusively by women intended to cover the face or part of the body. In a religious context, it often signified a woman’s self-respect and social status (Sherif Abdel Azim, 1995).
In my opinion, I would say that the style of this film is quite international and westernized with its use of English language in the dialogue, even among the Malays themselves. Also, it shows how the Malays are sent to over-sea for western education. It indicates the acceptance of westernization among the Malays in the 90’s. The status of a Malay female in the society also has been emphasized in the film. It is showed through the characteristic of Mastura and Dr. Sardar in the film, where both of them are showed as independent and liberal Islamic women who handle important projects in Rescaid. To evoke a controversy in Islamic point of view, the director brings in the characters of Brother Musa and Hani, who are very conservative and Islamic fundamentalism. They disagreed with the westernization on the Muslim in term of appearance and behavior, as what Hani claimed happens on Mastura’s friend, Zek. However, other than just highlighting the identity of Malays, this film also focus on the humanity spirits by the Malays through their concern in the international issue. As mentioned in this film, they are concerned about the war in Middle East and joined Rescaid to help those Palestine refugees.
In this film, I personally like the character development and characteristics carried out by the main character, Mastura. In the film, Mastura is introduced as a Malay woman who studies abroad in Perth with her friends, speaking English mixing Malay with other friends and her appearance, is slightly westernized because she is not wearing Baju Kurung or even veiled. It shows that Mastura is a liberal Islamic woman, who is able to accept the western culture but yet not going against their Islamic beliefs. It is proved when Mastura visits E.J at the night before she marries Brother Musa. Mastura still respects her own religion and belief by wearing Baju Kurung and putting on a veil when she visits E.J. Also, Mastura is described as a Malay woman who concerns and cares so much about her friendship. She tries to advise E.J not to marry Brother Musa and continues her study instead as she thinks that it is important for E.J to graduate from her course. In the middle of the film, it shows that Mastura is trying to escape from seeing E.J when she is back in Malaysia. Mastura is actually feeling disappointed toward their friendship but however, due to E.J’s health condition, she chooses to forgive E.J about her past with Brother Musa.
Along the film, we can see that the character of Mastura is growing into a more mature stage as she learns on how to forgive E.J as well as building her own career and management skills in Rescaid organization. In overall, the character of Mastura is portrayed as the second portrayal of femininity in Malay films, where Mastura is shown as an independent Malay woman, modernity, strong-minded and is well-educated. She is able to fuse the Islamic and western culture without compromising the border line of Islamic culture and beliefs. She is successful in her career and well-doing in Rescaid activities. Most importantly, she is very determined and always insisted with her own decision. This is shown through her determination in helping those Palestinian refugees even after she has injured in the bombing at Rescaid office. This is the reason why I like this character in this film. She symbolizes the equality of gender in the 90’s and represents female as a strong and independent character in this film.
However, I dislike the overall film structure in Selubung. In this film, I think that the director tends to use the 3 Act Structure in building up the overall storyline. But, the structure used seems like quite weak because it is hardly supported by the scenes and flow of storyline in this film. In the beginning, the director has a good establishing scene, where it shows the scenery of beach, with an old man singing along with the Malay tradition instrument and 3 little kids are sitting besides. It also inserts a superimpose showing “Terengganu, 1969”. It has introduces where the main character, Mastura and her best friend, E.J comes from. Next, it jumps to a visual showing the landscape of a new place, with a superimpose showing Perth. Also, with the aid of a radio announcer, the audiences now are informed that there is a difference in culture in between 2 places. In Terengganu, it shows the tradition while in Perth, it is the western culture. All the characters are also being well introduced. It is showed through a scene, where Mastura, E.J and all their friends are watching a TV in a classroom in Perth. Through their conversation and clothing, we can see that there is some westernization in culture among the Malays in Perth.
Along the film, the main issue which the director might want to highlight is mentioned, where the Palestinian children and women are suffering of the war in Lebanon. However, the way this issue is brought out in the film is quite confusing. At first, it shows the mosque in Sydney is burned down and this case did grab the attention of Halim and Mastura. It later shows how Halim and Mastura join Rescaid organization. The issue about Palestinian refugees is not well developed in the story. The director only inserts few shot showing the war environment and refugees camp in Lebanon. Also, through the VO of Halim explaining about the Palestinian camp situation to Mastura in a letter. This is where I think the confrontation part of this film is quite weak. It can’t really emphasizes and highlight the seriousness of the war in Lebanon and how importance it is to help those Palestinian refugees. The overall progression of Rescaid’s activities also is not being well explained in the film. It makes the audiences feel like there is some jump cut in between the story which causes confusion among them. However, the relationship between Mastura and Kamal is well developed along the story from how they meet until they face an issue where Kamal is actually married.
During the climax, it shows the bombing at Rescaid office by an unknown figure which causes a serious injury on Mastura. The incident is only been explained through a letter read out by Mastura before the incident happen. The issue about this letter sent out by the offended party to Dr. Sardar should be developed more to create a tight and anxious feeling among the audience toward the risky activities done by Rescaid just for the sake to rescue those Palestinian. Instead of anxiety, the mood given to audience during climax is rather flat and normal. When it comes to the last act in the structure, the resolution shown in the story is quite sudden and simple. The story just ends with a successful charity concert done by Rescaid and they managed to rescue those Palestinian children back to Malaysia with the helps from Tan Sri, whose Kamal contacted in the office. Through this, it indicates that the determination of Rescaid is never been broken by the threatening attempt by the offended party. They continue their Rescaid activities even though they have been warned through the bombing incident. It also ends the story with Mastura unexpected recovering from coma with the help of butterfly myth believed in tradition. The ending seem to be like quite rush and sudden toward the audience. The overall structure in this film would be great and clear if some part of the storyline could be developed into more details and dramatically.
Other than that, there are 2 parts in the film, which I would like to highlight as I think that’s the parts I liked the most. In the beginning of the film, the director wants to bring out a great controversy about Islamic status in Perth, Australia. It is showed through the scene where an unknown figure is pouring a liquid form onto the plat or board-liked that hangs on the wall with Islamic Jawi words written on it, also on the book rack where Islamic religion related books are placed, a book with the title “Truth” as well. The figure then sprays on the wall with red color, “Arabs Go Home”. Later, he opens a lighter and burns down the whole place with all the Islamic books. It is reported in the next day newspaper that the mosque was burned down following by the unrest in Middle East. From here, we can see how the western actually places Islamic status in their mind set. They actually dislike the Muslim and ask them to go back to their country through the words sprayed on the wall. Besides, the western also tries to warn them through the burning down of the mosque. It symbolizes a threat given by the western to the Muslim. This part is great as it clearly shows to which extend the conflict between the western and the Muslim in Perth.
On the other hand, the second part of the film which I want to highlight is actually the opposite of the part one that I have mentioned. In the second part, we can see how the Islamic extremist group actually dislikes and assuming the western culture is a sin and evil toward the Muslim. In the film, when Mastura is trying to convince E.J to continue her study, she is actually being forbidden from mixing and talks to Mastura and her friends. Besides, Hani also strongly advises Mastura to stay away from Zek, a Malaysian student counselor whom Hani called as ‘Satan’. Hani thinks that Zek is sinful because she is unveiled and always mixes around with guys. In the film, Zek is portrayed as a Malay female who accepts westernization in culture, but is strongly rejected and hate by the Islamic extremist like Brother Musa and Hani. They totally rejecting the western culture as they think that it is evil and for those who involves in it, they are unable to go to the heaven. But toward Mastura and Zek, they are fine with the acceptance of western culture in term of appearance, gender equality and etc as long as they do not go beyond their Islamic border line. They think that Islamic and western culture could be standing parallel. From here, it shows a great contradiction between 2 different interpretations of Islamic among the Muslim. This part is great by showing the different point of view of Muslim toward Islamic and westernization in the 90’s.
And lastly, it is about the film mise-en-scene and mise-en-shot. Basically in my view, the overall mise-en-scene is quite good in this film. In term of actors’ behavior and movement, the acting by the main and supporting characters are all quite good. Their expressions and gestures given into the scene are well fitted into the storyline. It helps in creating emotional impacts among the audience. For example, Hani’s expression is great in the film in showing herself as a deranged wife. However, her acting never goes beyond the realism which sometimes people called as “over-acting”. Besides, the setting for the film is also well-prepared. All the location used in the film is nice and suitable with the storyline. The props used in the location also did create a sense of realism which helps in actors’ performance in the scene. Taking an example from the film, the setting for a scene which showing the war environment, where everyone is struggling to find a place to hide while Halim is trying to help those injured. The props used and arranged in the scene was just so real and it did helps in getting all the actors mental and emotion into the ‘real war scene’. Also, the costumes and make-up done on the actors also matched with the scenes in the film. The make-up done on actors was referring to the suitability with scene. E.J is wearing a ‘kain sarung’ with pale make-up when she is showed as sick in the scene. However, the lighting in this film is quite yellowish and dark. Some scene’s lighting is quite dark until we can really see the actors’ performance. For example when Kamal is talking to Pintu at the door, we can’t really see Kamal figure because the scene is quite dark.
Mise-en-shot includes the camera movement and position, pace of editing, shot scale and duration of shots. In this film, the overall camera movement and position is quite good. We hardly see a shaky shot in the film. The same goes to shot scale as well. Every shot in the film is taken with a suitable angle that matches with the storyline. Even though all the shots are quite normal shot as in film, but it managed to cover all the perspectives needed in this film. However, I think that there should be some improvement in the editing skills. In the film, we can see that there are so many jump cuts in between. Some shots which are showing the conversation between characters, however it later jumps into the war scene in Lebanon. Also, there is a shot where Mastura is talking to E.J but half way, the shot is cut and continue with other scene. The flow and smoothness of editing in a film should be taken into consideration. Or else, it will affect the overall emotional impacts of the film toward the audience.
In a nutshell, Selubung is quite an extraordinary type of Malay film which is worth for us to watch. For those who want to know more about the Islamic culture and how the acceptance of westernization in the 90’s, this film would be a great suggestion.
REFERENCES
Azim, S. A. (n.d.). IslamiCity [THE VEIL]. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from
http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/w_islam/veil.htm
Cheng, K. G. (n.d.). Representations of the Modern Malay Woman of the 1990's. In
Reclaiming Adat: Contemporary Malaysian film and literature (pp. 125-156). Retrieve from http://books.google.com.my/booksid=FlFAaNHlIg0C&pg=PA141&lpg=PA141&dq=rescaid&source=bl&ots=hEoQAhfL9&sig=qHEOvA7bhJnY7kpnoXdQX9ltJEA&hl=en&ei=SPq9ToWIBZHtrQe664DLAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false
Film Structure. (2011, August 7). Retrieved November 13, 2011, from Cyber College website: http://www.cybercollege.com/frtv/frtv012.htm
Heide, W. V. D. (2002). Malaysian Cinema. MALAYSIAN CINEMA, ASIAN FILM, 218.
Selubung / 1992. (1999-2003). Retrieved November 12, 2011, from Filem Malaysia website:
http://www.filemkita.com/filem/s/selubung_01.html
Wennie Sim 09UJB04854
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