“I’m drawn to the everyday layman world, the people living outside of the city, places that are untouched by time. The more I traveled, the longer I stayed, the more stories I ‘collected.’” —Woo Ming-jin
This spotlight looks at the elegant and contemplative dramas of indie filmmaker Woo Ming-jin. A daring voice of independence in contemporary East Asian cinema, Woo’s lo-fi and offbeat films shine a light on the unseen lives of Malaysia’s rural poor.
Born and raised in Malaysia, he travelled to the U.S. to study business and later filmmaking, returning to co-found the production company Greenlight Pictures alongside fellow arthouse filmmaker Edmund Yeo—who produced his films. Woo’s pensive, observant cinematic style homes in on the cultural and social isolation of life in Malaysia’s fishing villages, a far cry from the ever-rapid pace of modernization in other parts of the country. Bittersweet yet incisive, and with a keen eye for local flavor, this is a cinema that focuses on the personal stories of those who exist in the spaces where love and opportunity can sometimes seem frustratingly out of reach.

&#8220;I&#8217;m drawn to the everyday layman world, the people living outside of the city, places that are untouched by time. The more I traveled, the longer I stayed, the more stories I &#8216;collected.&#8217;&#8221; &#8212;Woo Ming-jin
This spotlight looks at the elegant and contemplative dramas of indie filmmaker Woo Ming-jin. A daring voice of independence in contemporary East Asian cinema, Woo&#8217;s lo-fi and offbeat films shine a light on the unseen lives of Malaysia&#8217;s rural poor. 
Born and raised in Malaysia, he travelled to the U.S. to study business and later filmmaking, returning to co-found the production company Greenlight Pictures alongside fellow arthouse filmmaker Edmund Yeo&#8212;who produced his films. Woo&#8217;s pensive, observant cinematic style homes in on the cultural and social isolation of life in Malaysia&#8217;s fishing villages, a far cry from the ever-rapid pace of modernization in other parts of the country. Bittersweet yet incisive, and with a keen eye for local flavor, this is a cinema that focuses on the personal stories of those who exist in the spaces where love and opportunity can sometimes seem frustratingly out of reach.

Spotlight on Woo Ming-jin

SPOTLIGHT ON WOO MING-JIN

“I’m drawn to the everyday layman world, the people living outside of the city, places that are untouched by time. The more I traveled, the longer I stayed, the more stories I ‘collected.’” —Woo Ming-jin
This spotlight looks at the elegant and contemplative dramas of indie filmmaker Woo Ming-j…

&#8220;I&#8217;m drawn to the everyday layman world, the people living outside of the city, places that are untouched by time. The more I traveled, the longer I stayed, the more stories I &#8216;collected.&#8217;&#8221; &#8212;Woo Ming-jin
This spotlight looks at the elegant and contemplative dramas of indie filmmaker Woo Ming-j&#8230;