The Journey of "Grey Scale" Short Documentary: How it started (Part I)
The day was Saturday of 8th May 2021.
We were still confined within the four walls of our homes. Every state in Malaysia still observed a slightly different variation of movement control order (MCO), depending on their respective active Covid-19 cases. I was at home, sitting in front of my screen, waiting to enter a Zoom meeting. I recalled feeling quite nervous, as I had never done this before.
It was pitching day.
“What’s the story that you want to do?”
I am passionate about city design and the social milieu that exists within it. Today's urban areas house more than half of the world’s population, and this population is ageing quickly. Age is becoming an emerging form of social segregation, and we must be conscious of this increasing trend. Therefore, in response to the Freedom Film Fest theme this year, ‘Pandemik Dua Darjat’ – we follow a day in the life of a 79-year-old single woman in a gentrified neighbourhood. It tells a story of an elderly solitude life and how she physically and mentally adapts to a world that the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly altered.
The understanding of the ageing population is often presented as subjects of socioeconomic studies, those which often reduce each individual into nameless and faceless data in the statistics. The nuanced struggles of the elderly population living in a highly urbanised society have not been given as many platforms to be heard compared to other vulnerable populations. Their sense of identity and connection to space, including the social capital where they live, has been largely excluded from discussions around inequality.
While the country is focused on preparing for a robust economic recovery - the ageing population, which is typically not part of the equation, often falls through the cracks, and their silent struggles continue to worsen. I believe the Freedom Film Festival is one of the few platforms that could potentially shed light on this issue, generate critical discussion and present an opportunity to reflect on the premise of humanity in the city.
About two weeks before the pitching day, I told my aunt about my plan to produce a story about ageing in the city. I shared how the inequalities highlighted by Covid-19 made me want to do something about it. More than ever, I was acutely aware of my privileges as a young, middle-class working adult during the pandemic, as well as the hardships that many went through during the lockdown - especially the older generation. We all have them: a precious elderly relative living alone, and we have all worried about them over the pandemic. With restrictions on travel, these elderly folks were socially isolated more than before. Worse off are senior citizens living in gentrified neighbourhoods, which are empty of their neighbours and friends. Such issues often slip within the cracks and shadows of the rapidly changing city that is often built for the young and vibrant.
Then I asked my aunt if she was willing to be part of this documentary project. It was a big ask, which required her to open up her life to the gaze of strangers. Rightly so, she asked if she could sleep over it first. I said, of course - and assured her there are absolutely no obligations to say yes.
The next morning, she called me to say that she agreed for her story to be told. “It’s probably the last thing I can do for my niece.” It was the kind of news that made you happy and sad at the same time. And I still wasn’t sure what I was getting ourselves into, let alone the certainty of winning the film grant (but in hindsight, I realised that it was something we both needed).
Fifteen months later, the story is now about to go out to the world. I am forever grateful to my aunt for opening up her life to all of us through this short documentary. And as for my personal journey in making this film - it has been a truly humbling experience to learn about my aunt’s life and the struggles she faces, and the philosophy of life that she holds onto in order to get by each day. I wish it were possible to include much more from the countless hours of one-to-one conversations we had while making this film. Still, I hope this distilled story is enough to spark important conversations about growing old in a changing world.
The film premieres on the 16th of September 2022 (Friday) at the Freedom Film Fest 2022. Tickets and more information here: https://freedomfilm.my/festival/film/grey-scale/