Stories About the Storyteller

My eyes laid on Yasmin, How You Know? at the bookstore. The meekness of the book caught my attention: the pages were loosely bound and it seemed to have a missing cover. Curious, I bought the book. I sat down that very morning and read it from cover-to-cover. The book is filled to the brim with sentiments on the late Yasmin Ahmad shared by those who knew her well. Her spirituality, for instance, seemed unsurpassed by others. She spoke fondly of praying, of doing things as God wanted her to, of sharing laughter with people of all creeds and colors, and of appreciating the little things life could offer— all without sounding the least bit didactic. I was astounded and moved by these pages. Prior to reading the book, I actually saw her films (Sepet, Mukhsin and Chocolate), read her blogs and overall, admired her minimalistic, Yasujiro Ozu-inspired approach to filmmaking. I can’t say I was truly a fan, but I acknowledged her subtle brilliance (which spoke volumes in comparison to other Malaysian filmmakers). But only after reading the book did I notice how her films really captured the essence of the type of woman she was— spiritual, hopeful, appreciative, creative and above all, humble.

May you rest in peace, Kak Min.  

PS When asked how would we know if we have found our true love, Yasmin answered, “The same way we know when our house is on fire. We just know.” Beautiful advice.