Yasmin Ahmad Dead

I went WTF when I heard the new on Twitter via @Rinaz. Yasmin Ahmad is dead. I went online to confirm and her Wikipedia states.

Death – She suffered a stroke and was admitted to hospital. She was pronounced dead at 11.25 p.m, 25th July 2009.

Such a terrible news, and I’m sure all of us are shocked. We all love her work, from her films to commercials. I thought she would pull through after her collapse from stroke on stage, but Yasmin Ahmad died at the age of 51 years old at Damansara Specialist Hospital.

Yasmin Ahmad Blog: yasminthefilmmaker.blogspot.com

pic via Wordlife

R.I.P. Yasmin Ahmad (July 1, 1958 – July 25, 2009)

Update #20 on 13th Aug 2009

Interview with award-winning director Yasmin Ahmad’s parents who tell of the kindness and goodness their daughter has done.

Mak Inom quoted, “Yasmin has done so much good”

Update #19 on 11th Aug 2009

Yasmin wins posthumous award at the 22nd Malaysian film festival. A tribute for Yasmin Ahmad was played and the Best Director award was accepted by her sister Orked, who gave a heartfelt acceptance speech.

Datin Orked was quoted “I want to thank all our friends who were by our side in our grief. I believe that my sister would be thankful and happy to receive this award. This is the award that my sister had been dreaming of — although she did not make movies for the awards. All she wanted to do was to entertain Mak and Abah as well as tell the story of life. My sister was very forgiving. Before going to bed every night, she would ask God to forgive those who did her wrong. Similarly, I hope everyone will forgive her and pray that her soul will be among the believers.”

Talentime may have lost to Papadom in the Best Film category but Yasmin was finally given the recognition as Best Director by the industry which had turned its back on her following the Sepet controversy

Update #18

Yasmin was slated to work on two international projects, a Japanese-produced film called Wasurenagusa (Forget Me Not) featuring a Malaysian-Japanese cast, and Go Thaddeus!, a story about the late Singaporean triathlete Thaddeus Cheong.

Update #17

Yasmin Ahmad was in discussion with TV3 for a future project involving the 1Malaysia concept.

Update #16

TV3 coverage of Yasmin Ahmad’s funeral.

Update #15

More tributes pouring in, she’ll be greatly missed.

Nandita Das, an award-winning Indian film actress and independent filmmaker, “I met Yasmin at the Pusan Film Festival and in that brief time became close friends. She kept in touch with me through calls and smss. I am shocked beyond belief. I have lost a friend before our friendship could have a life. It is a great loss, in many ways, to every person’s life that she touched.”

Media Prima International CEO Datuk Seri Farid Ridzuan, “I will miss her terribly. No words can describe what a special person she was.”

Filmmaker and actor Linus Chung (Sepet) wrote from his blog, “She made me realised how important love is in a world that has largely forgotten it. “Love linus, love the world and you will understand the world”she’ll say to me with a voice tinged with sweet sentiments.”

Actress Sazzy Falak, “Her muhibbah commercials and movies show that different races can love one another.”

Songwriter Habsah Hassan, “It is difficult to find her replacement. She was cordial and able to attract people’s attention easily, an attribute which enabled her to forge ties and cooperation among actors under her charge.”

Renowned film director Othman Hafsham, “She was a filmmaker with great ideas including in interpreting the 1Malaysia concept and promoting the culture of unity in her work. Here in this cemetery we can see the testimony of her work.”

Actor Hon Kahoe who was to work with Yasmin on her next project, Wasurenagusa, “Yasmin would always teach me about directing, and advise me on many things relating to the movie industry. I’m going to prove to her that I can achieve this.”

Actress Pamela Chong who affectionately calls her Mak Yasmin (Mummy Yasmin) from Talentime project, “She gave me my first movie; she made my dream come true. I miss her. I always will. But she lives on in our hearts and in her work.”

Actor Alan Yun from Gubra, “Yasmin’s generosity in terms of giving will be missed. She was someone who had so much love for the nation and its people despite our differences.”

Actress, Syafie Naswip, who worked with Yasmin on Mukhsin and Talentime, “Over the time that I knew her, she helped me through my difficulties and was a guide to me when it came to making choices about what path to take in my life.”

Actor Jit Murad, who worked with Yasmin on Talentime said, “My friend Yasmin was and it breaks my heart to use the past tense – a fascinating combination of intelligence, spirituality, kindness and humour. Her work and relationships testify to these qualities. My grief and stunned disbelief is only barely leavened by the blessing I feel for having known and loved her for the period that I did.”

Update #14

Friends of Yasmin Ahmad speaks of her at her funeral, Sunday (26th July).

Update #13

Award-winning actress Azean Irdawaty, who worked with Yasmin on Talentime, wrote a special poem for Yasmin Ahmad.

She was an angel
God sent us
No, he lent us
To be a storyteller
Who spun stories of
Magic, joy and enchantment
Who we often lose sight of
Her fight was brief
Her leaving was a grief
Just like her movies
The end came too soon
But her wisdom remain
like words to a tune
That we will hold dear
Forever you will be near.
I love you Yasmin
I will miss you always.

Update #12

Quotes and tributes pouring in for Yasmin Ahmad.

Award-winning actress Azean Irdawaty, who worked with Yasmin on Talentime, “I am glad that I managed to see and kiss Yasmin for the last time.”

Fellow director Othman Hafsham, “She is a director who speaks her mind and her films reflect this. Only in this country was her movies considered controversial. But in international film festivals, they all accept her movies. Indeed she has became a role model for many aspiring director out there.”

Actress Ida Nerina, “Yasmin’s passing is tragic loss to the us, the selfish living, Yasmin Ahmad was more than just a talented creative director. She was a loving daughter, wife, mother, sister and a teacher to many of us who are fortunate to have had her to sweep us off our feet. Yasmin was fiercely patriotic and a true Malaysian. I think she has taught many of us to trust our gut when being creative. But truth be known the most important lesson Yasmin Ahmad taught me was humility”

Independent filmmaker and author Amir Muhamma, “I still haven’t fully processed this yet. So I can only say I will miss her terribly but her courage and her compassion will be felt for a very long time among an audience that will only get bigger.”

Mahesh Jugal Kishor, who worked with Yasmin in Talentime, “First of all I like to apologise If I cry talking about her. She is never a director with you. She always acts like a family member to her cast and crew. She is like mother to me. She is like a friend to me. What impressed me about her is that she can relate to everyone regardless their age. She will talk to the elders with so much respect. But when it comes to the younger people, she can be like one of us. She can talk our lingo. As a director she is not rigid. She gives the actors their creative freedom to interpret their characters. I must tell you that I am not coping with her death very well.”

Elza Irdalynna, who starred in Talentime, “She has a way to make her film shoots a fun affair. It was like going on a vacation. She was a hilarious woman. She loved to play the piano and to sing. She had a very beautiful voice. I spoke to her few hours before she suffered the stroke. She graciously agreed to a put on special screening of Talentime for my boyfriend who is from the United States. We were supposed to meet her on Monday to see the movie together. But it didn’t take place.”

Actress Maya Karin, “I have never worked with her. But I find she has a beautiful soul and she has been kind to everybody, and that is reflected in her movies.”

Update #11

Renowned film and advertising director Yasmin Ahmad who died at the Damansara Specialist Centre on Saturday night was laid to rest at the USJ 22 Muslim Cemetery in Subang Jaya, Sunday (26th July).

Update #10

Yasmin Ahmad body was taken to the Muslim burial ground at USJ22 at 12.25pm, 26th July. As the crowd dwindled, Mak Inom (Yasmin’s mother) was seen praying by Yasmin’s gravesite.

Update #9

Some 200 people had turned up earlier at the mosque. Among them were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, Air Asia CEO Datuk Tony Fernandez and 8TV CEO Ahmad Idzam Omar, singer Jaclyn Victor and film director Suhaimi Baba.

Update #8

Some 200 people attended prayers at Mesjid Abu Bakar As Siddiq at Section 19/7A, Subang Jaya, this morning (26th July) for award-winning film director Yasmin Ahmad, who died close to midnight Saturday after a stroke on Thursday.

Update #7

Yasmin Ahmad body taken to Masjid Al-Falak in Section 19, Subang Jaya from her mother’s house nearby for prayers. Yasmin’s mother, Inom Yon, fainted while the talqin (the last rites) was recited.

Update #6

Video Yasmin Ahmad Akhirnya Meninggal Dunia

Update #5

On Saturday, July 24th 2009, less than 48 hours after the surgery, Yasmin Ahmad succumbed to her injury and was pronounced dead at 11:25PM.

Update #4

Bernama quoted her brother-in-law, Datuk Dr Zakaria Zahari, as saying that Yasmin had suffered a stroke and hemorrhaging in the brain.

Update #3

Yasmin Ahmad was rushed to the Damansara Specialist Hospital ED where she underwent a neurosurgery procedure to reduce the swelling in her brain. The operation was success but her conditions remained critical but stable.

Update #2

Siti Nurhaliza bantu (helped performed CPR) Yasmin Ahmad

Update #1

On Thursday, July 23rd 2009, Yasmin suffered a stroke and collapsed while attending a meeting with Datuk Siti Nurhaliza and her husband Datuk Seri Khalid Mohamad Jiwa, and Media Prima representatives for an undisclosed project, here at Sri Pentas, TV3.

Let’s remember her by replaying some of her best work. Her legacy continues.

Yasmin Ahmad last few interviews

Yasmin Ahmad. through her creative works, made us laugh, feel, cry and most of all she made us think of one another without prejudice. In this interview on July 21, we heard her talk candidly about being colourless and living as one people.

The Fairly Current Show #8 – Yasmin Ahmad

Bloggers meet with acclaimed director, Yasmin Ahmad

On the 18th of June, a group of bloggers were invited to watch the premiere of the new advertisment, entitled ‘Family’. More in my blog : http://rinaz.net

Hujan – from Mukhsin

The video clip for the keroncong song “Hujan” performed by Adibah Noor and taken from the film “Mukhsin”. The movie is directed by Yasmin Ahmad and produced by Grand Brilliance

Family – English

Entitled “Family”. Directed by the critically acclaimed and award winning film director, Yasmin Ahmad, and commissioned by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports “MCYS”. The story portrays a father’s love for his daughter. Family Singapore MCYS Youth Commercial

Muallaf Trailer

Muallaf is a 2008 Malaysian drama film directed by Yasmin Ahmad. It tells a tale of three souls finding solace in religion. This is Yasmin Ahmad’s fifth film after Rabun, Sepet, Gubra and Mukhsin.

Percintaan Tan Hong Ming

Film Director: Yasmin Ahmad [Malaysian] A Malaysian National Day Ad [2007] form Petronas.

Yasmin Ahmad – Funeral TVC

“Funeral” is a new TV commerical launched by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) which looks at relationships in a different light, through a woman at her husband’s funeral. Ultimately, the TVC celebrates the beautiful imperfections that make a relationship perfect.

Yasmin Ahmad Interview on Muallaf

As Yasmin’s second feature film, Sepet, Muallaf was first screened in Singapore instead of Malaysia, where it was shot. However, unlike the former, Muallaf may not be screened in Malaysian cinemas after all since the Malaysian censorship authorities had requested key scenes to be cut, thus rendering the story meaningless. The film ran for 4 weeks in Singapore from 27 November to 24 December 2008, recording turnouts more than that of Sepet.