Balek Kampung

Director
Year of production: 2015
Running Time: 07:56 min
Color / Sound / Subtitled
2nd Prize: Modern Aging Film Competition

In loving memory of Mama (1936-2017)

"Balek Kampung" means “to return home” in Baba Malay. Baba Malay is a diminishing local dialect in Singapore spoken by Peranakans, of whom my grandmother, who I call Mama, is one. This film is a portrait of my amnesiac grandmother exploring the spaces of her past together with her Burmese domestic helper, Sulai. Sulai encounters these memories for the first time as she is a foreigner. I too, am foreign to Mama’s language and experiences, being separated by generations. As Mama's frail frame traverses the physical landscapes that have changed over time, we are given a poignant reminder of our mortality.