Newsletter

9TH EDITION

March 31, 2022

This edition continues our celebration of Women's Month by highlighting powerful, brave films from the “(Un)censored: Women Breaking Biases” film playlist. A new episode of the Pretty Good Podcast is out, tackling online radicalisation in Southeast Asia. We also feature films that discuss current issues in Australia and the Philippines.

 

Featured Films from ‘(Un)censored: Women Breaking Biases'

‘[MA]CHO’

Amid the progressive women's and LGBTQ movement in Indonesia, significant challenges remain for those fighting to be accepted in society regardless of their sexual orientation.

The short documentary [MA]CHO follows the story of a masculine lesbian aspiring to have a child, and the fears and hopes of the LGBT community for the future.

Director: Jazmin Sheila

WATCH THE FILM

'Odah'

Odah, who is raised in a Malaysian village, wants to cut her long hair to follow her favourite girl band, Feminin. But her mother and the villagers, who have their own opinions about short-haired women, are against the idea. Will Odah get her way?

This comedy short film was featured in the 2021 Pesta TUT film festival, which highlighted 10 bold films that could not be screened in Malaysian cinemas and television due to the local film censorship system.

The filmmakers of Odah were asked to remove the word "lesbian" in the film. After negotiations, the film was allowed to be screened.

Director: Junad M. Nor

WATCH THE FILM

‘Haus’

Mrs Zaleha, a conservative Malay woman in her 40s, suffers in silence as she longs for sexual attention from her husband. An unexpected visit has her questioning her status as a mother and her needs as a woman.

Haus was not approved by Malaysia's Film Censorship Board because of its sexual connotations. The film was part of the 2014 Ikal Mayang series held in conjunction with International Women's Day celebrations.

Director: Nora Nabila

WATCH THE FILM

 

Pretty Good Podcast

Pretty Good Podcast Episode 18: Reversing Radicalisation Online

In this episode of Pretty Good Podcast, author, filmmaker, and activist Noor Huda Ismail discusses the strategic online dissemination of extremist ideology in Southeast Asia. He zeroes in on how social media algorithms influence online radicalisation, and how using the same technology can help targeted individuals reintegrate back into society.

Learn more about the topic and Noor Huda’s work in this blog post.

Pretty Good Podcast: Digital Rights and the Asia-Pacific is a podcast dedicated to mainstreaming digital rights in the Asia-Pacific by amplifying regional voices and linking current affairs to issues on and related to digital rights. This episode is part of the Challenge project by the Association for Progressive Communications.

Producer: EngageMedia

WATCH THE VIDEO PODCAST