YASMINE Movie Director Siti Kamaluddin on Making a Silat Martial Arts Film With a Female Protagonist — Now on iTunes!
(Read more of this post here on FilmCourage.com)
FilmCourage: Where did you grow up?
Siti Kamaluddin: Brunei.
FilmCourage: What was life like at home?
Siti: I think it was normal.
FilmCourage: Which of your parents do you resemble most?
Siti: I think I have a bit of both my parents.
FilmCourage: Who’s had the greatest influence on your life?
Siti: I think it’s my father — because I think that he is the most patient and the best man I have ever known. His story is very inspiring.
(Read more of this post here on FilmCourage.com)
FilmCourage: Did you go to film school?
Siti: No. I studied chemistry at the university of Southampton in the UK.
FilmCourage: Is YASMINE a film you wanted to make for a long time?
Siti: Yes it is — in fact I have two films I wanted to ake for a long time — Yasmine and Halus but Yasmine took off first .
FilmCourage: How many movies did you make before YASMINE?
Siti: Its my first feature film but I worked in a couple of films prior to Yasmine as an Assistant Director.
FilmCourage: Is there anything that prevented you from making this film sooner?
Siti: Hahaha…Funding.
FilmCourage: What changed?
Siti: Many more people want to make films in Brunei and I see more young kids interested in taking up silat.
FilmCourage: What gave you the confidence that you could direct this movie?
Siti: It was never a question of being confident. It was a matter of when can I do it.
FilmCourage: How important was it to you that the protagonist in this movie be female?
Siti: It’s important because we don’t have enough female centered films especially that involve action and I wanted to show a woman can be strong in character, as well as good for action especially for silat. It’s the first time a female plays a main character in a silat based film.
