by Amni Azizan
Edited by Siti Sarah Sofea
“Life in this world is short. Let us make use of our lives in the pursuit of happiness and not trouble.” - Tunku Abdul Rahman -
In conjunction with our nation’s 66th Independence Day, I think it would be fitting to list out some of these movies to watch to ignite patriotism within ourselves. Plus, it’s more entertaining to watch those historic scenes come to life instead of reading through the history books. Seriously, you can save yourself from the pain of reading thick history books and instead, watch these movies that often take 2 hours, tops.
Now, without further ado, these are the movies to watch in honour of the 66th Malaysia Independence Day.
1. Bukit Kepong (1981)
To kick things off on the list is “Bukit Kepong”, which is adapted from a real-life incident that took place on 23 February 1950, at Bukit Kepong, Muar. It is a war film depicting a gunfight between the Federation of Malaya police and Malayan Communist Party insurgents. The depicted event occurred during the Malayan Emergency, a guerilla war that lasted from 1948 until 1960.
2. Leftenan Adnan (2000)
Next, a movie that is worth putting on the list is Leftenan Adnan, a biographical movie about Lieutenant Adnan Saidi, a Malaysian soldier who joined the British Colonial Forces' Malay Regiment promptly before World War II broke out in Asia. Afterward, he was promoted to Second Lieutenant and given command of Company C of the 1st Battalion of the Malay Regiment. During that period, his journey in leading his soldier to fight against the Japanese Imperial Army became famous.
3. 1957: Hati Malaya (2007)
Other than that, 1957: Hati Malaya is centred on a group of people trying to publish a picture book titled 1957: Hati Malaya. What makes it interesting is that this group of people represents a young generation coming from different backgrounds. The movie also provide the audience with the opportunity to truly understand the struggle of 1957—the year Malaysia was independent from colonisers—through the eyes of these characters.
4. Mat Kilau (2022)
Directed by Syamsul Yusof, the eldest son of esteemed Malaysian filmmaker Yusof Haslam, this movie is about the titular character, Mat Kilau—a historical figure that we may be familiar with through the pages of our history textbooks. The movie narrates the story of the Malayan people’s fight against the British colonists in Pahang, led by the warrior Mat Kilau and his followers, prior to independence.
In conclusion, these local movies pack a punch as strong as those international blockbusters that we watch in cinemas. Therefore, we should show our support and appreciation for these locally made movies so that the hard work and dedication they put into making those movies will not go unnoticed.
Hopefully, you will enjoy these recommended movies, embrace the history of Malaysia and ignite patriotic spirit as we celebrate Independence Day!
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