Special screening of Doghole, a short film by Wong Hoy Cheong that examines the history of the Japanese occupation in Malaya during World War II.

Date: 15 May 2010 (Saturday)
Time:
1st Screening 9pm
2nd Screening 9.30PM
Discusson 10PM – 10.30PM
Venue: Black Box theatre, MAP Art Space, Solaris Dutamas, Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur

Synopsis

During World War II, Malaya was occupied by the Japanese. A total of about 450,000 Malayans were killed. At least 80,000 died in detention camps throughout the country. This film is based on an interview with Wong Kum Peng, a survivor of the much-feared Kempeitai detention cells.

Using filmed live action, motion graphics and animation, this film explores memory and history, the proverbial story of human resilience and indiscrimination in times of war.

About the filmmaker

Born in Penang in 1960, Wong Hoy Cheong returned from the USA in 1987 with a BA in English Literature from Brandeis, an MA in Education from Harvard and an MA in Fine Arts from University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

He has exhibited widely in Asia, Australia and Europe, as well as within Malaysia. In 2003 he was invited to take part in the 50th Venice Biennale, where his RE:LOOKING video and installation was met with critical acclaim. He has also participated in Liverpool Biennial 2004, ARS 01 (Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, 2001), Kwangju Biennale (2000), Cities on the Move (traveling exhibition curated by Hou Hanrou, 1999). In 2004, a major retrospective of his work, spanning the last 20 years, was held at the National Art Gallery of Malaysia.

Doghole is Wong Hoy Cheong’s first short film.

Production supported by mfx, KL; Eslite Gallery, Taipei; Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka