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The Big Durian is a 2003 Malaysian film by Amir Muhammad that combined documentary with fiction. It created history by being the first (and only) Malaysian film to screen at the Sundance Film Festival.

Synopsis

On the night of 18 October 1987, a soldier, Prebet Adam ran amok with an M16 in the area of Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur. Due to the thorny circumstances of the time and place, his amok triggered a citywide panic and rumours of racial riots.

Cast

The Big Durian features 23 people: some are actors, while others are expressing their personal opinions. The first group includes Patrick Teoh, Low Ngai Yuen, Jo Kukathas and Rashid Salleh; while the latter include Farish A. Noor, Nam Ron, Anne James and Chacko Vadaketh.

Release

The Big Durian screened in over 30 film festivals, including the Singapore International Film Festival and Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival in 2003 (the former being a world premiere) to the Sundance Film Festival, the Hong Kong International Film Festival and the Vancouver International Film Festival in the following year.

Critical response

Variety magazine said: "Ambitious, sleek-looking docu examines wide array of ethnic, religious and political divisions in modern Malaysia." The Village Voice said that it is an "impertinent love-letter to the citizens of Kuala Lumpur that does not let them off the hook for their apathy."

See also

• Operation Lalang - Prebet Adam amok incident

References

1. Andrea LeVasseur (2012). "Movie Reviews". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2012-10-21. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
2. "YIDFF: Publications: YIDFF 2003 Official Catalog". www.yidff.jp. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
3. "The Big Durian". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
4. The Big Durian (2003) | MUBI (in Portuguese), retrieved 2024-01-03
5. Review in Variety
6. Review in The Village Voice by Dennis Lim

External links

• The Big Durian at IMDb
• DVD sales link

v t e Durian
Durio species (List)	Edible species Boschia grandiflora Durio dulcis Durio graveolens Durio kutejensis Durio lowianus Durio macrantha Durio oxleyanus Durio testudinarius Durio zibethinus Species of unknown edibility Durio acutifolius Durio affinis Durio beccarianus Durio bukitrayaensis Durio burmanicus Durio carinatus Durio crassipes Durio excelsus Durio griffithii Durio kinabaluensis Durio lanceolatus Durio lissocarpus Durio macrolepis Durio macrophyllus Durio malaccensis Durio mansoni Durio oblongus Durio pinangianus Durio purpureus Durio singaporensis Durio wyatt-smithii Durian cultivars ( 2 ) Musang King Sultan King
Odor compounds	Ethane-1,1-dithiol Diethyl sulfide
Dishes	Tempoyak Fried durian
Diseases and pests	durian fruit borer durian hawkmoth
In culture	AYA Awards The Big Durian (film) The Big Durian (sculpture) Digital Durian [ms] Durian's Affair Durian Durian Geng: The Adventure Begins Jalan Durian Perangin Kublai Millan River of Exploding Durians
Eponyms	Places The Big Durian Ci Durian Durian Burung Durian Perangin Waterfall Durian Pipit Durian Tunggal Durian Tunggal Reservoir Durian Tunggal (state constituency) Jalan Pulau Tawar-Durian Hijau Kampung Durian Tunjong Kampung Durian Perangin [ms] Simpang Durian Singapore durian Tarutung Sungai Durian Kotabaru Patamuan Payakumbuh Perak Solok Tabalong Storms Tropical Storm Durian Typhoon Durian Meteorological history of Typhoon Durian Other eponyms Durian bent-toed gecko Durianella Durian Tuang
Agriculture	Thailand
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