Watching Mencari Kartika

After months of working on it, Norhayati Kaprawi had flown to Jakarta for her directorial debut as film-maker on Mencari Kartika and yesterday the 40-minute film premiered in this country to a packed audience at Shah's Village Hotel, Petaling Jaya.

As I congratulated her at the end of the event, I saw the unmistakable glint in her eye, the satisfaction of a story told.

Earlier this year she spoke enthusiastically of turning her visuals on Kartika into a movie. Over cups of coffee, we spoke about forming storylines, journalism and writing for visuals. I shared what little I know, and we joked about making a film together, maybe about Chow Kit Road. Hahaha.

Standing in the hall watching the movie, I was touched. Yati had done it. Against all odds; limited resources, collecting visuals, chasing after the subject from Kuala Lumpur, Cherating to Kota Bharu, I was impressed.

Yati talks to journalists at a private screening of her first film, Mencari Kartika

An engineer by training who turned into an activist, a painter and now a film-maker, feverishly working on her next documentary, Yati said: “The shortcomings are allowed because it's a first film. The audience wouldn't be too forgiving on your next.”

Today afer work, I sat talking to a good friend and colleague Aniza Damis, who was also at Yati's premier last night.

When are you going to do a film? I'd like to see it, she said. Cat got my tongue. I couldn't tell her about the film proposal with Freedom Film Fest.

I shrugged my shoulders hoping that she would let me off, but no, Aniza is a journalist highly skilled at ensnaring the subject with her questions and make them talk on topics they avoided most.

You could get help from Komas. They organise film festivals and support first time film-makers, she added.

I pulled a blank face. I dunno, I said, then conveniently wearing a distinterested and tired expression. Eventually we moved on to another subject. The escape artist, escaped.