"You are a lucky man..." and U-Wei's HANYUT

Today I had over an hour of interesting and stimulating conversation with U-wei Haji Shaari, the famous film director (Perempuan, Isteri dan Jalang, Jogho, Kaki Bakar etc) the only Malaysian film director whose movies, two of them, had been screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

Some weeks back U-wei gave me the honour of previewing his latest film HANYUT (adrift), based on Joseph's Conrad novel 'Almayer's Folly' on dvd. And what a film it was, so beautifully crafted and with an international cast and crew and an epic feel. Beautiful Sofia Jane was so engagingly menacing in her rather mad role!
U-wei  said the film was still not completed though he had already spent RM11 million on it! He still needed some RM5 million to complete it, including a specially written music score by an international (Japanese) composer. And I thought the film was already good!  I am really honoured to be one of the rare people to whom he showed his 'unfinished' film.   

We talked about many things, mainly the Malaysian art scene and of our art collections. He said something which I thought was very nice and significant, which in fact never occurred to me. He said that I was 'a lucky man', in response to me saying that I was no longer tied down or obsessed with my art collection and other material things, that I was no longer worried,  or afraid to loose anything or worried or upset if my things got damaged or accidentally lost. Yes in fact it was so liberating to feel that way without me realising it. Thank you for making me realise it U-wei.

Reminds me again of the lyrics in Kris Kristofferson's 'Me and Bobby McGee' - freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose!

I look forward to U-wei 'finished' HANYUT, which he told me he planned to submit to Cannes! Anyone wants to foot the RM5 million?