Sanif Olek’s Much Anticipated AMEEN Premieres in Singapore with Sinema Showoff!3 min read

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Sinema Showoff! is proud to present the Singapore Premiere of Sanif Olek’s AMEEN in September.

Sinema Showoff! The Balik Kampung Collection 2 will feature a selection of short films, focusing on Malay – Muslim culture.

AMEEN is the final instalment of Sanif Olek’s LOVE trilogy series. The LOVE Trilogy comprising of LOST SOLE (2006), À LA FOLIE (LIKE CRAZY) (2009) and AMEEN (2010) all deal with the evergreen theme of love.

In AMEEN Johan, whom we first met in LOST SOLE, is infatuated with Yati and Sharifa, two Madrasah girls. With the help of his friends, we see how Johan works his goal to please the girls.

AMEEN is defined as a supplication or prayer asking for God’s help. “O Allah, respond to (or answer) what we have said”. (Source: Islamic ““ Dictionary.com)

LOST SOLE has been screened in more than 30 international film festivals and won two film awards. À LA FOLIE (LIKE CRAZY), the second film in the trilogy, was also an official selection at numerous film festivals and received the Best Short Film award at the 4th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival. AMEEN premiered at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival in April.

“AMEEN, will certainly help us attract a good number of people to the screening. We look forward to facilitating additional screenings of the film here and overseas in the near future,” said Ramasamy Rajesree, Sinema Showoff!’s Guest Curator from Singapore Polytechnic.

Isnor Dzulkarnain Jaafa President of Singapore Malay Film Society (SMFS) noted, “Sanif is a household name amongst the local Malay community and a role model for young upcoming directors. We are happy to play a part in supporting his independent film work”.

AMEEN (CURATOR’S PICK) (SINGAPORE PREMIERE)

Sanif Olek | Malay | 14mins | Drama | Rating TBA

Johan is infatuated with Yati and Sharifa, two girls from the Islamic Madrasah school. What exactly does Johan have up his sleeves in order to get the girls’ attention?”

International Film Festivals

Official Selection, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 2010 (World Premiere), USA
Official Selection, Hawaii International Film Festival 2010, USA
Official Selection, Montreal World Film Festival 2010, Canada

Director’s Bio

Sanif Olek is one of the island’s finest TV director and independent filmmaker.

Sanif’s strenth lies with merging commercial expectations with arthouse sensibilities for a mainstream audience.

In a career spanning 15 years Sanif has produced numerous award-winning TV programmes, music videos and commercials. Sanif himself has won the “˜Best Director’ award twice at MediaCorp’s Pesta Perdana that honours the best in the Malay television industry in Singapore.

His LOVE trilogy comprising of the short films LOST SOLE, A LA FOLIE and AMEEN have won numerous awards and screened at numerous international film festivals.

After A-Levels Sanif completed his National Service, where he was enlisted as a Commando. He then went on to do a Diploma in Film & Media Studies from Ngee Ann Polytechnic and a Bachelor of Arts (Media & Communications) from Murdoch University.

Sanif currently juggles between full-time television work, completing his debut feature film, RAMUAN RAHASIA (THE MISSING INGREDIENT).

Director’s Statement

As a child, I attended six years of Islamic madrasah school while concurrently attending secular education at a public primary school. Subsequently, I attended secondary education at a Methodist missionary school.

With this diverse education, I feel blessed that I had the privilege not many boys at that age could experience. I remember that in all these institutions, a consistent education persisted ““ to love a fellow human being and accept one another unconditionally. Nevertheless I often pondered if sexuality and spiritually can co-exist while watching the lovely Ustazahs (female Islamic teacher) preach from the Quran and listening to the melodic hymns during weekly chapel services.

AMEEN will have its local premier at Sinema Showoff! The Balik Kampung Collection 2 on Tuesday, 28 September. Sanif Olek’s LOVE Trilogy of LOST SOLE, À LA FOLIE (LIKE CRAZY) & AMEEN will be screened at a Special Session on Tuesday, 12 October.

Admission is FREE for both sessions.