Synopsis: A Malaysian female filmmaker dreamt of making the first feature documentary for theatrical release in her country. After four years of struggle, her film premièred with glowing reviews. But soon after, she lost her job. This documentary reveals her deeply personal and harrowing filmmaking journey of enduring sexual harassment, bullying and misogyny.
Festivals & Awards: Busan International Short Film Festival 2022 - World Premiere/ NETPAC Award Winner; Doc Edge Festival 2022; San Francisco Documentary Festival 2022; Mini Film Festival 2022
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Director Statement: As a journalist, for many years I worked on sexual harassment and assault stories. I threw myself into helping these women share their experiences in the hope that it would help them, and others, too. Sexual harassment and assault go beyond just that moment of contact. The effects are far-reaching, encompassing everything from work to daily life. In late 2019, I began working with women's groups to lobby for the Sexual Harassment Bill - a law by then 20 years in the making. When the Malaysian government collapsed and the pandemic halted everything, the project was placed on the back-burner. Despite this, I still had to deal with the events detailed in The Boys Club as I tried to continue my work with the women survivors. I feel it is my duty to continue to lobby for change. I owe it to these brave women who revisited their own trauma to tell their stories. This film is my own way of telling my side of things after enduring years of bullying and harassment. This is for all the women who chose to speak up and who gave me the courage to do the same. |
