Behind the scenes: Khairy talking to actors on the set of his directorial debut ‘Teguh’. — Nadia J. Mahfix / Ikal Mayang
PETALING JAYA: Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has gone from making policies to making films, stepping behind the camera for the first time to direct a short film scheduled to be screened today.
Khairy is among 18 directors contributing to Ikal Mayang, a short film project helping women tell their stories. The project is organised by non-profit organisation Women: girls.
President of Women: girls Low Ngai Yuen said that during the filming in October, the minister was a bit nervous but quickly got the hang of things.
“Judging from how he was on set, he looked like he belonged. He was having so much fun and was very much involved,” she said.
“He kept walking a good 50m across the pool so that he could personally talk to the actors instead of using his walkie talkie and loud hailer. He was all in.”
Teguh, directed by Khairy and written by Ida Nerina, is the story of a professional squash player (played by national squash player Sharon Wee) recovering from a serious accident who gets inspired when she meets a paralympic swimmer (played by national paralympic swimmer Fraidden Dawan).
“Ida helped to write and put the story together but the idea came from Khairy who had met the two athletes earlier on,” she said.
Low said she approached Khairy, who is currently away on a working trip in the US, to be a part of the project after his role in Inspektor Mastura, a 2013 short film directed by Elaine Daly for Ikal Mayang.
Previously, Khairy also starred as a taxi driver in Meter, directed by Benji Lim and Bahir Yeusuff for another short film project, 15Malaysia, in 2009.
Ikal Mayang, now in its third year, is introducing five male directors – Afdlin Shauki, Vince Chong, Pete Abdullah, Wak Doyok and Khairy.
“This year’s theme is Serupa (Similarities) where we are going to stop talking about gender differences and focus on our similarities and shared values to achieve and do good instead,” said Low.
The three-day Ikal Mayang festival conference begins tonight at Quill City Mall with a gala screening at 7pm (by invitation only). Tomorrow, the public can engage in a storytelling session with celebrities and a mentorship session where 2,000 youths are expected to speak and learn from 120 “role models” comprising artistes and entrepreneurs.
On Sunday, the public can watch all 18 short films plus works from previous years and a documentary film, Tanah Mama, for RM60. For ticket details, call 03-7954 4868 or email ninie@womengirls.org.
