The Bird That Shakes The Jute Fields (TBA / 2 mins)
Director: Liew Shi Xiong
Nominated For:
Best Documentary
Two minutes. Barely enough time to tell a short story, let alone a documentary where the reality of the background and setting of the subject becomes all the more important. But Liew, a recent Communications Studies graduate from NTU and a recipient of the MDA’s Media Education Scheme in 2008 managed to achieve that in The Bird That Shakes The Juke Fields.
The insightful retrospective piece paints a surprising serenity within Dhaka, Bangladesh, set against the chirpy tune of a popular Bengali folk song. The widely-perceived chaotic nature of a bustling Central Asian capital is cast aside in favour of denizens, singled out for their hardships and struggles.
And yes, plaudits must be given to the clever title, jute being a native plant of Bangladesh, the rough fibre testament to the battle-hardened nature of the Bangladeshi proletariat.