Unreal Asia: Oberhausen Short Film Festival 2009 Explores Digital Ethnography
The 2009 Oberhausen International Short Film Festival showcased 'Unreal Asia,' a selection curated by Gridthiya Gaweewong and David Teh. This program explored the concept of realism in Asian aesthetics, particularly within Southeast Asia, and sought to transcend nationalist and exoticist narratives. Featured artists from politically oppressive nations, such as Indonesia, included Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, Dinh Q. Lê, and Ho Tzu Nyen. Central themes encompassed 'accidental ethnography' and self-representation. Highlighted works included 'The Mango' and 'Better than Friends.' May Adadol Ingawanij contributed an essay on cultural depictions of death. The selection examined state propaganda and national identity, advocating for a non-nationalistic perspective on the region's aesthetics.
Key facts
- Oberhausen International Short Film Festival 2009 featured 'Unreal Asia' programme.
- Curated by Gridthiya Gaweewong and David Teh.
- Focused on Southeast Asia, originally a military designation.
- Shifted discussion from Third Cinema to digital culture.
- Included works from artists like Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Araya Rasjarmrearnsooks, Dinh Q. Lê, and Ho Tzu Nyen.
- Introduced 'accidental ethnography' adapted from Eliot Weinberger.
- Videos depicted under-represented communities, e.g., 'The Mango', 'Better than Friends', 'Children of the State vs Underage Criminals'.
- May Adadol Ingawanij wrote catalogue essay on death representation.
- Addressed state propaganda and national identity via works like 'Speakers' Corner' and 'Meet Jen'.
- Amir Muhammad's films explored Malaysia's Internal Security Act.
- Works like 'Burmese Man Dancing' and 'Kom Movies' examined cultural translation.
- Curators turned to local cultures to avoid monolithic national identities.
- Apichatpong Weerasthakul's 'Morakot/Emerald' explored memories of Cambodian refugees.
- Ho Tzu Nyen's 'Utama: Every Name in History Is I' and Dinh Q. Lê's 'The Farmers and the Helicopters' conflated myth and modernity.
- Programme proposed approaches to region without nationalism or exoticism.
Entities
Artists
- Gridthiya Gaweewong
- David Teh
- Apichatpong Weerasethakul
- Araya Rasjarmrearnsooks
- Dinh Q. Lê
- Ho Tzu Nyen
- Tonny Trimarsanto
- Tuan Andrew Nguyen
- Ridwan
- Rustam Junaesi
- Jefri
- Sibarani
- May Adadol Ingawanij
- Ucu Agustin
- Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook
- Uruphong Raksasad
- Martyn See
- Hafiz
- Amir Muhammad
- Marut Lekphet
- Navin Rawanchikul
- Sonal Jai
- Mriganka Madhukaillya
- Eliot Weinberger
- Fernando Solanas
- Octavio Getino
- Ousman Sembene
- Glauber Rocha
Institutions
- Oberhausen International Short Film Festival
- Afterall
Locations
- Oberhausen
- Germany
- Thailand
- Southeast Asia
- Burma
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Vietnam
- Malaysia
- Brunei
- East Timor
- Indonesia
- Singapore
- Jakarta
- India
- Australia
- Senegal
- Brazil
- China
Sources
- Afterall —