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16 years on after Sepet hit Malaysian cinemas, the messages conveyed through this film still ring true for many of us. Since it’s being aired on YouTube for free, I took the chance to re-watch it after many, many years. Boy, it feels surreal.

I enjoyed the starting of the film the most because it depicted the lives of ordinary Malaysians very well and you’ll feel the director’s genuineness coming through. Take your time to appreciate the film and you’ll find a few good laughs. The audio is mainly in Malay and Malaysian English, although you’ll also find Baba Malay (as spoken by the Peranakans in Malacca), Cantonese, Hokkien and Standard Chinese (given the country’s multicultural composition).

Sepet, which bagged awards in Japan and France, explores the themes of intermarriages and ethnic relations in Malaysia. Issues like these are usually considered taboo, even until today.

Perhaps it helps that the late director’s now-deceased mother is of half-Japanese ancestry.

Cast members include Harith Iskandar, Adibah Noor and Sharifah Amani.

So, who else is interested in (re)- watching the film? It will be available from 30 May 2020 up to a week.

Earlier in May 2020, the musical adaptation of Yasmin Ahmad’s work was put up on YouTube for free for a week.