What kind of stories grab your attention?

For me, any topic is an opportunity to learn something new about an event or community. Documentaries are essentially a window to another world that we never knew. 

What was your first documentary attempt?

I’ve done a lot of documentaries, both for work or as passion projects. I can’t truly recount all of them or recall the first ever project. But Eye on the Ball was the first feature length documentary*. That was an eye-opening experience for me and I learned that there needed to be more education about what a documentary was and how it worked.

*Editor's note: 'Eye on the Ball' is a documentary by Chen about Malaysia's national blind football team, the theatrical version of which was screened in the UK in September 2019 and in Malaysia in March 2020. The film has since been altered by the rights owner at the request of the film’s subjects – without consultation from the director or editor. Chen says the current TV version does not represent her authorial work as a documentary filmmaker. 

What makes a documentary stand out?

You’ve got to find the right story and the right characters. There isn’t really a guideline or manual. I don’t know how to explain it, but as a filmmaker, you just know it, it’s a gut feeling. I read a lot and sometimes you pick up ideas or stories from the news or even from talking to people.  

Have you ever struggled to convince a film subject to tell his or her story on camera? 

I’ve not really been turned down often. Whether as a filmmaker or journalist, when you approach someone to share their personal story, you should approach them respectfully and you need to build that connection, that relationship. Especially if you’re filming in someone’s personal space. For me, if it’s a long term project, there’s time for me to build a relationship. If I’m only seeing and filming the subject for a day, then it’s more challenging.

One time I tried really hard to connect with a subject but that person was like, "You can film me but I’m not interested to be your friend." That was awkward (laughs), but I knew it was my job to see it through.

Was there a pivotal moment where you decided you were going to translate your experiences to the screen with The Boys Club?

I think it was the years of violence and being told not to speak up. I was forced into a corner until I had to leave my workplace. You would think that the bullying and harassment would stop after leaving that problematic space, right? But later, when I gave a media interview in my capacity as a filmmaker, the journalist who interviewed me told me my former boss had contacted them to make ‘corrections’ to my interview. That shocked me because that’s not how journalism works.

That action itself showed me that this guy thought he had control over me, even after I left. Does he think he owns women’s voices? He doesn’t speak for me. When that happened, I felt like I needed to tell my side of the story.

Do you feel this documentary has garnered a better response overseas compared to in Malaysia?

Perhaps the conversation about sexual harassment is much stronger (overseas) than in Malaysia. I think in Malaysia, society tends to have an attitude of ‘let’s not talk about it’ when issues of sexual harassment or gender violence arise. I understand they are difficult subjects but not talking about them is not going to resolve anything.

What kind of impact are you hoping the film will have on local audiences?

I don’t want to just screen the film. I want to have panel discussions, and invite experts from NGOS, and legal people to weigh in on these discussions. Society’s attitude is slowly changing towards harassment and bullying. If you see it happening, don’t be a bystander, don’t enable it. Speak out, call out the harasser, say ‘this is not right’.

That said, we also need the laws to protect survivors. I’m not a legal expert but right now there are gaps in legislation. That’s why the Joint Action Group has been pushing for the Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill for the past 20 years. But why did it take so long? Ultimately, my hope for the film is to have people talk about the issues and also lobby for the law. 

See also: Rekha Sen's Fight for Citizenship for Children Born Abroad to Malaysian Mothers

You’ve spoken often that Malaysia has a large pool of talented creatives. What's something important that budding filmmakers need starting out? 

Malaysian films in general need more support. I'm not just talking about financial support but also creative freedom. Art should not be censored. Local documentaries in particular need support. Documentaries are not seen as a very glamorous genre, but they take a lot of hard work and documentary filmmakers are often under-appreciated. 

More: Why Raja Jastina Arshad Believes Malaysian Stories Are Universally Appealing

Do you think there's potential for more female Malaysian filmmakers to succeed internationally by shedding light on Asian stories and issues? 

Definitely. Every culture and every society have interesting and important stories and characters. But like I said, the support needs to be there. In a lot of industries, not just filmmaking, women have to work to break the glass ceiling. But if you look closer at the Malaysian documentaries that have gained international recognition in film festivals in recent years, they are actually helmed by female filmmakers.

I guess the highest achievers would be Poh Si Teng and Cheyenne Tan, the producers behind the Oscar-nominated documentary St Louis Super Man. My friends Dian (Lee)and Ineza Roussille made a feature documentary, M for Malaysia, which was also women-led. 

If you had to recommend an Asian-made documentary to someone who's not into documentaries, what would it be?

The Singaporean film Shirkers. That was a crazy story that you don't see every day. It’s about a group of girls who make a documentary with their film teacher, who is also the director. Then one day he disappears with all their footage. It brings me back to the point that to make a compelling feature documentary, you need to find the right characters, the right subject in their point in time.

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