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Title:	Dialogue and negotiation in inter-ethnic romantic relationships in Malaysia indie films
Authors:	Angeline Wong Wei Wei (P65252)
Supervisor:	Shanthini Pillai, Assoc. Prof. Dr.
Keywords:	Motion pictures -- Social aspects Motion picture industry -- Malaysia Motion pictures -- Malaysia
Issue Date:	31-Jul-2020
Description:	Even though Malaysian films have always been officially defined as Malay films which predominantly feature the Malay language and culture, the history of Malaysian films from pre- to post-independence has shown that multiple cultural influences have shaped the Malay filmmaking scene and given it a diverse image over the years. The independently produced Malaysian films of the new millennium, or Malaysian indie films, could be perceived as films which offer more spaces for fluid representations of Malaysian identities that are not constrained by the authority-defined imagining of a divisive nation. That said, however, it is found that only a handful of the films specifically portray narratives of inter-ethnic romantic relationships. The depiction of inter-ethnic romantic relationships on screen needs to be explored as border crossings in terms of ethnicity and culture are inevitably experienced in the everyday reality of multi-ethnic Malaysia. This study seeks to examine the ways in which spaces for inter-ethnic dialogue and negotiations are represented in three selected Malaysian non-state funded films, namely Spinning Gasing (2000), Sepet (2005) and Cuak (2014). These films depict stories about Malaysians of different ethnicities who go through the process of negotiating the various cultural boundaries in developing their relationship with each other. The methodology of the analysis of the films adapts a method that incorporates Bakthin's notions of dialogism, heteroglossia and chronotope, as well as Sun Tzu's concept of the 'negotiation' of differences between the Self and Other as the conceptual framework. It analyzes the filmic aspect of the mise-en-scène and examines the significance of the films' framing and editing of the heteroglossic and dialogic interactions between the ethnic characters, as well as issues of inter-cultural negotiation. The findings reveal that the journey of inter-ethnic engagement for the inter-ethnic couples in the three films share the similarities in terms of the stages of meeting and encountering each other through mutual attractions, the process of dialogue and negotiation between them, and the threshold that would need to be crossed over to form partnership. The findings on the extent to which conflicts and acceptance are seen in the issues of cultural identities and belonging, religious beliefs and societal expectations for each film reveal that inter- ethnic partnerships could be formed not only through dialogue and negotiations, but through an understanding and acceptance of the Self and Other. The study concludes with the significance of recognizing the little details in inter-ethnic relationships that would contribute to greater spaces for dialogue across ethnic and cultural borders.,Ph.D.
Pages:	191
Call Number:	PN1995.9.S6W647 2020 tesis
Publisher:	UKM, Bangi
Appears in Collections:	Institute of Ethnic Studies / Institut Kajian Etnik (KITA)

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