Film on racial harmony wins unity contest

KUALA LUMPUR: A short film focusing on the heartwarming interaction between a Chinese tuition teacher and students of different races won a Diversity in Co-existence contest here.

Directed by Tham Wai Fook and starring his wife, Foo Mee Teng, the eight-minute-long film A Flower’s Eyes was set in their home in an unassuming, lush village in Rompin, near Tampin in Negri Sembilan. It was their real-life story. “For the past two years, Foo has been giving Chinese lessons to a group of kids, who study in a Chinese primary school nearby and cannot cope with their studies because of the language barrier.

“I wanted to capture the harmonious and beautiful bond through my lens, hence the production of the film,” Tham, 44, said. He took home a cash prize of RM3,600. In the short film, the children converged to learn Mandarin from Foo. After class, they rushed out of the house chirpily, but not before thanking Foo by pressing their foreheads on her hand.

Foo, who spoke with the same gentle, motherly demeanour at the prize-giving ceremony, said she has fostered friendly ties with the students’ families.

She has also learned about the differences between the races through the experience.

Tham hoped his short film would be like a “small needle” that would poke the hearts of the viewers and move them to ponder about racial harmony.

The short film competition was organised by the LLG Cultural Development Centre to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the late Lim Lian Geok’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri message.

The Chinese educationist, in his message published in Utusan Melayu in 1956, had pressed on a “hidup berbilang, makmur bersama (abundance in diversity, prosperity in co-existence)” concept for the betterment of the country.

Six short films were shortlisted, and sharing the first prize with Tham was Ma Onn Ny, 21, who has just graduated from the New Era College with a diploma in drama and visuals.

Her short film titled Bunga Raya touched on the conflicts faced by a Chinese secondary school girl who has a Malay boyfriend.