Yihwen CHEN
A Malaysian female filmmaker dreamt of making the first feature documentary for theatrical release in her country. After four years of struggles, her film premiered with glowing reviews. But soon after, she lost her job. This documentary reveals her deeply personal and harrowing filmmaking journey of enduring sexual harassment, bullying and misogyny.
The filmmaker based in Malaysia was sexually harassed by one of her staff during the filming of a documentary. The problem only grew from there. Having to finish the film, she was forced to stay on set with the assailant, subjected to the repeated secondary victimization. With the film as a hostage, she endured the painful times. As the title of the film indicates, the filmmaker accuses the problematic social awareness rather than putting it on one sexual predator, which is well encapsulated by the advice from the CEO of the production company that she should not make a big deal out of it for ¡°everyone¡¯s sake.¡± Thanks to the filmmaker who bravely faces the years of harrowing memories, the audience is reminded of how the wrong perceptions on sexual assault sicken not only individuals but the entire society. At the end of this journey, we would encounter perhaps the bravest scene of the year.
Yihwen CHEN
Malaysian documentary filmmaker and journalist. Currently, she¡¯s working on her second documentary about marginalised communities in Malaysia, Shh¡¦Diam, supported by Hot Docs CrossCurrents Fund.