Interview with Pete Teo
He’s the man behind 15malaysia, the socio-political short film project that has garnered attention from across the globe. The singer-songwriter turned actor and producer spoke to MSN about the Malaysian indie film scene, being on a government watch list and the legacy of his friend, Yasmin Ahmad.
You’ve been listed on CNN’s top 135 people to watch. Did that come as a surprise? Where were you when you found out?
Yes, it did come as a surprise. Although I am not sure about the validity of things like this, I guess it is better than a kick in the teeth (laughs). I was surfing the net hunting down a vintage Studer mixer for my project studio when a friend called and told me the news. I thought it was a joke. That same friend called me two days later to inform me that James Lee’s film ‘Call If You Need Me’, in which I played the leading role, got a glowing review from Time Magazine. It was an exciting week.
How has the feedback been on 15malaysia?
It’s been pretty phenomenal. Tens of thousands of people waited to be first to see every new film we released and we had 14 million visits to our sites in the first 60 days. Some of our short films, such as Potong Saga and Meter, have become popular cultural icons. I think the country was starving for social-politically informed dialogue beyond the normal sycophantic whitewash from official sources and the 15Malaysia project became a vehicle for that.
How do you think Independent Cinema has developed in Malaysia?
If by ‘independent cinema’ you mean low budget movies funded outside of established commercial cinema infrastructure, then there is no doubt that the last 5-7 years have seen the emergence of an entire community of Malaysian filmmakers who fund their films either with their own money or via other non-commercial funding sources. Not all these films are good, of course – but the leading lights in the scene (e.g. Ho Yuhang, James Lee, Tan Chui Mui, Amir Muhammad etc) have been winning a lot of acclaim at top-level international film festivals. The key question facing the scene right now is – to what extent they will win over a domestic audience brought up on Hollywood blockbusters and made cynical by decades of low quality domestic cinema. In truth, we have a long way to go, but I’d like to believe that it would happen not so far into the future.
Are there any budding local filmmakers/talent you find yourself excited by?
Benji Lim, Desmond Ng, Kharil M Bahar, Chris Chong, Yeo Joon Han are just a few I am excited by. I am certain there are exciting talents out there I don’t know about. The lack of opportunity, and not the lack of talent, seems to be the problem in Malaysia.
You’ve been a close friend of the late Yasmin Ahmad. How do you think her legacy will inspire these budding talents?
Yasmin reminded us of what we can be as a country. And she told the truth of what we are now. That is all anyone can ask of an artist. Her passing was a bigger loss for the country than most people realise. I believe she will not be forgotten. Her humanity and spirit will inspire generations.
You’ve worked with number of local directors, who has been your favourite?
Filmmaking is a collaborative art – so it is important that I work with people whom I have respect and admiration for. I almost never do anything just for the money. As regards directors I have worked with, each is different and all have something valid to say – so I can’t say there is a particular favourite.
We also heard, the movie, ‘Call If You Need Me’, which you starred in, received positive reviews from Time Magazine very recently. Tell us a bit about the movie.
‘Call If You Need Me’ is a tale about two small time gangsters in KL. It contains no physical violence and does not glamorize a life of crime. Thus, it stylistically deconstructs the gangster genre, and is in fact a rites of passage story about loyalty and family. Shot on digital video in merely 2 weeks, it features a cast of over 40 actors. The film has received great reviews all over the world and is regarded by most people as James Lee’s best work thus far. It also won silver in the Hong Kong International Film Festival. As I am writing, it is making its round in European film festivals including Torino, Nantes, Paris and Rotterdam.
How did you feel about the Time Magazine write-up?
It was a little surprising that an international magazine picked up on a low profile Malaysian art film such as this. But all credit to it for doing so. I often find that foreigners give Malaysian artists more respect and support than Malaysians themselves. I think we have to try harder to win over our own people in the future. As said, we’re some ways from being able to do that consistently, but hopefully we can someday.
Do you think it’s still important for an Asian filmmaker to make it in the West?
It’s wonderful to be acknowledged by people half way around the world, but I don’t think it has ever been imperative for Asian filmmakers to succeed in the West. There are and have been many successful Asian filmmakers who are practically unknown outside of their home countries. Admittedly, for a variety of reasons, many might choose to develop their career with an eye on exporting their work to offshore markets. But it doesn’t have to be the West.
Do you have any words of advice for aspiring filmmakers?
There is no formula. Just do it. Don’t forget to respect each other’s vision and help each other.
What’s next for Pete Teo?
I’ll have to go to Rotterdam and Paris in February as 15Malaysia makes its European premier. Other than that, I have a few film scoring jobs on the horizon. There is also some talk of a follow-up project to 15Malaysia. Then I have to start work on my new album – which will involve building my own project recording studio and buying loads of new gear. It should be a fun year. (smiles)
