FFF2019 highlights that the UN Declaration on Human Rights declares that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of [themselves] and of [their] family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care.”
But despite that, many of us are struggling to provide for ourselves. Issues such as the rising cost of living, the ever increasing price of food and petrol, the struggle to finance housing and pay for healthcare and stagnant wages are serious issues facing Malaysians and the international community alike.
Here are some of our highlights:
First-ever art battle inspired by our films
It’s a beautiful thing when art inspires other artists.
FayFay, an aspiring Portrait Artist, specializing in portrait painting, was part of our first ever art battle inspired by the films featured at the festival. This community of Malaysian artist, were given 30 minutes to live paint in front of a live audience as part of our festival activities.

A first for FFF this year, we're collaborating with Art Battle Malaysia to host an Art Battle. Eight local artists will produce a live painting in 30 minutes inspired by this year's documentaries. pic.twitter.com/QTo4JCzOyK
— FreedomFilmFest 🎥 (@freedomfilmfest) September 21, 2019
Dialogue on global housing crisis with policy-makers
The festival opened with PUSH, a feature documentary film by Fredrik Gertten on housing as a fundamental human rights.
Fredrik was at the festival to present his film and to take questions from the audience after the film. It was a full house screening and attendees included then Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government, Raja Kamarul Bahrin.
An extended forum entitled, Pushing back on affordable homes in the city – What can our local govt do? was held after the screening with Fredrik, MP of Petaling Jaya Puan Maria Chin and Deputy Director of Research from Khazanah Research Institute, Chris Choong




Partnership with community organisation Pit Stop
Together with Pit Stop, we had a multimedia workshop using photography and video, adopts a different perspective by inviting kitchen soup volunteers, artists and young filmmakers to converse with the homeless people, and collaboratively produce short multimedia narratives.




We went on a roadshow across Malaysia
Aside from the screenings at Petaling Jaya, our festival travelled to Muar, Johor Bahru, Temerloh, George Town, Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching and Miri.
Foto2 di acara #freedomfilmfest2019 yang telah berlangsung di Temerloh. Acara berjalan dengan baik. Setiap filem diadakan sesi soal jawab dan perbincangan berkaitan filem dan situasi sekeliling. Lebih kurang 30 orang yang hadir. pic.twitter.com/uWjIzkWaWv
— LASKAR #PencuciDosa (@laskaraktivis) October 20, 2019
News Coverage
- The racial riots that took place on May 13, 1969, remain a wound that has yet to heal – even after 50 years (Malaysiakini on 50 Years of Silence, 26 Sept 2019)
- ASTRO AWANI: The Future is Female (5 October 2019)
Films Screened at this edition
- 50 Years of Silence by Tham Seen Hau (MY)
- A Fisherman’s Prayer (Doa Seorang Nelayan) by Andrew Han (MY)
- When We Are One (Bila Kami Bersatu) by Asyraf Abd Samad & Minxi Chua (MY)
- A Northern Soul by Sean McAllister (UK)
- A Thousand Girls Like Me by Sahra Mosawi-Mani (AF)
- A Very Hard Sale by Morgan Ommer (VN)
- Bridge Commuters (橋上的黎明暮色) by Venus Oh (SG)
- Call Her Ganda by PJ Raval (PH)
- Clocked Out by Walli Khalik (MY)
- Day Of A Doctor by Fahmi Sani (MY)
- Everything Must Fall by Rehad Desai (ZA)
- Grandfather (Aki) by Herald Nyumbang Anak Nyulin (MY)
- Hidden in Town by Kennice Foo Yu Yi (SG)
- M For Malaysia by Dian Lee & Ineza Roussille (MY)
- Mother, Daughter, Sister (Ame, Thamee, Ama) by Jeanne Hallacy (MM)
- My World by Chan Yoong Shing (MY)
- Outside (Draußen) by Tama Tobais-Macht & Johanna Sunder-Plassmann (DE)
- People’s Republic of Desire by Hao Wu (CN)
- Push by Fredrik Gertten (SE)
- Shelter (Tahara) by Deepak Tolange (NP)
- Sisters For Sale by Ben Randall (AU)
- Supermonk by Shenang Gyamjo Tamang (NP)
- Tattini by Abinash Bikram Shah (NP)
- Tei Kakah by Jeremy Jecky (MY)
- The Last Printing Press by Nurul Yasmin (MY)
- The Tree Remembers by Lau Kek Huat (MY)
- Zero Impunity by Stephane Hueber-Blies & Nicolas Blies (FR)