Fridae

Yasmin Ahmad is one of the most accomplished new directors in Malaysia.
Her 2004 film, Sepet (which means 'Chinese eyes' in Malay),
was a warm and feel-good romance between a feisty Malay girl and
a quiet Chinese boy. It was a hit in Singapore and Malaysia, and
also snagged Best Film at the Malaysian equivalent of the Oscars
last year.

Her new film is partly a sequel to Sepet, but it is not
nearly as fun and likeable as Sepet. Gubra (which
means 'anxiety') is a quiet, complex and understated drama with
two seemingly disparate storylines. The first storyline continues
with the story of the pretty Malay girl (Sharifah Amani) who, years
after losing her Chinese boyfriend in an accident, is now married
to a Malay man.

By a strange twist of fate, she meets the older brother (Allan
Yun) of her ex-boyfriend for the first time and a bond develops.
Meanwhile, the second storyline portrays a religious imam and his
family, who live next door to two prostitutes. Despite the women's
lowly professions, the kind family never judges them.

Like Sepet, Gubra is also a film about love and
acceptance and living harmoniously despite our differences. But
whereas Sepet was always fun to watch, Gubra is
graceful and compassionate but decidedly low-key.

It is a film so delicate and soft-spoken, you have to listen very
hard just hear it speak. Yasmin is certainly maturing as a director,
but whether audiences will take to Gubra as they took to
Sepet is another matter.