Southeast Asian cinema

Southeast Asian cinema

Cinema of Burma Cinema of Cambodia Cinema of Indonesia Cinema of Malaysia Cinema of the Philippines Cinema of Singapore Cinema of Thailand Cinema of Vietnam

Southeast Asian cinema refers to the film industry and films produced in, and/or by natives of, Southeast Asia. By definition, it describes any films produced in Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Southeast Asian cinema is a sub-section of continental Asian cinema, which in turn comes under the umbrella term of World cinema, a term used in some anglophone countries to describe any foreign language films.

The far east as a cultural block includes East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

Key figures

Burma

Main article: Cinema of Burma

• Kyi Soe Tun – Burma's most prominent director. His films include Upstream and Blood.

Cambodia

Main article: Cinema of Cambodia

• Haing S. Ngor – Academy Award-winning Cambodian-American actor (The Killing Fields)
• Rithy Panh – French-schooled filmmaker.
• Tim Pek -Australian film producer.
• Tea Lum Kun - Director of the highly acclaimed film The King Snake's Wife.

Indonesia

Main article: Cinema of Indonesia

• Christine Hakim – Veteran actress (Whispering Sands).
• Dian Sastrowardoyo – Popular actress (Whispering Sands).
• Garin Nugroho – Director (Opera Jawa).
• Syumanjaya – Director (Si Doel Anak Modern).
• Richard Oh – Director (Koper).
• Aryo Danusiri – Director (Playing Between Elephants).
• Aria Dewa – Director (Identitas).
• Lola Amaria – Director (Minggu Pagi di Victoria Park).
• Joko Anwar – Film critic and director (Janji Joni).
• Riri Riza – Director of Gie.
• Mira Lesmana - Producer (Gie).

Laos

• Som Ock Southiponh – Independent director, producer and screenwriter (Red Lotus).

Malaysia

Main article: Cinema of Malaysia

• P. Ramlee – Leading man, screenwriter and director.
• U-Wei Bin Hajisaari - Director and screenwriter
• Abdul Razak Mohaideen – Director.
• Tsai Ming-liang
• Yasmin Ahmad
• Amir Muhammad
• Ho Yuhang
• James Lee
• Michael Chuah
• Tan Chui Mui
• Woo Ming Jin
• Azharr Rudin

Philippines

Main article: Cinema of the Philippines

• Nora Aunor - Actress (Himala)
• Ishmael Bernal - Director (Himala)
• Lino Brocka - Internationally acclaimed director (Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang, Maynila: Sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag).
• Rogelio de la Rosa - Pre-World War II matinee idol
• Gerardo de Leon - Director (Banaue)
• Mike de Leon - Director (Kisapmata)
• Maryo J. de los Reyes - Director (Magnifico)
• Eddie Garcia - Veteran actor/director
• Brillante Mendoza - Cannes prize-winning film director (Kinatay)
• Eddie Romero - Awarded National Artist of the Philippines

Singapore

Main article: Cinema of Singapore

• Eric Khoo – Acclaimed director (Be with Me).
• Jack Neo – Popular Singaporean actor and director (I Not Stupid).
• Royston Tan – Acclaimed filmmaker (15, 881)

Thailand

Main article: Cinema of Thailand

• Apichatpong Weerasethakul – Cannes-prize winning Thai avant garde director (Blissfully Yours, Tropical Malady).
• Chatrichalerm Yukol – Veteran director (The Legend of Suriyothai, King Naresuan).
• Nonzee Nimibutr – Director and producer who influenced the Thai industry's pan-Asian directions (Nang Nak, Jan Dara).
• The Pang Brothers – Although born in Hong Kong, these twin-brother filmmakers got their start in Thailand and made Bangkok Dangerous in 1999 and The Eye, a pan-Asian co-production in 2002.
• Pen-Ek Ratanaruang – "New wave" director (Last Life in the Universe, Invisible Waves).
• Tony Jaa – Action star (Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, Tom-Yum-Goong).
• Wisit Sasanatieng – "New wave" director (Tears of the Black Tiger, Citizen Dog)

Vietnam

Main article: Cinema of Vietnam

• Tran Anh Hung – French-trained expatriate director of Cyclo and other films.
• Nguyen Vo Nghiem Minh – (Buffalo Boy)
• Dang Nhat Minh – (Girl on the River, Guava Season)
• Tony Bui – (Yellow Lotus, Green Dragon)
• Ringo Le - Vietnamese-American film director ("Saigon Love Story")
• Dustin Nguyen – Vietnamese-American actor.
• Johnny Tri Nguyen – Vietnamese-American stuntman and actor (Tom-Yum-Goong, Saigon Eclipse)

See also

• Cinema of the world
• World cinema
• Asian cinema
• East Asian cinema
• South Asian cinema
• Middle Eastern cinema

Further reading

• Contemporary Asian Cinema, Anne Tereska Ciecko, editor. Berg, 2006. ISBN 1 84520237 6

• Southeast Asian Independent Cinema, Tilman Baumgärtel, editor. Hong Kong University Press, 2012. ISBN 9789888083619

External links

• Criticine.com - Manila-based scholarly journal on Southeast Asian cinema.
• Asian Film Archive - Singapore-based organization founded to preserve the film heritage of Singapore and Asian cinema.
• EngageMedia - Social and environmental focused documentary film in Southeast Asia.