In late 2022, actress, director, and producer Iman Corinne Adrienne, directed two documentaries commissioned by Think City that capture the unique culture and spellbinding beauty of two places not many Malaysians know about. The stories were recently released on Think City's Youtube channel.
The documentaries titled Exploring The Hidden Gems Of Lenggong : Archaeology, History, Heritage, Culture & Ecology (Menerokai Tapak Warisan Dunia Unesco Lenggong: Arkeologi, Sejarah, Warisan, Kebudayaan & Ekologi) and Bujang Valley Revealed: Rediscovering The Ancient Empire ( Mengupas Lembah Bujang: Penemuan Peradaban Purba) will remind viewers of our rich cultural diversity.
The Lenggong valley in Hulu Perak is one of Peninsular Malaysia’s most important areas for archaeology, as excavations have revealed many traces of Malaysia’s prehistory. It is the site of the oldest known place of human activity on the peninsula.
The Bujang Valley, meanwhile, is a sprawling historical complex near Merbok, Kedah, that tells of the peninsula’s pre-Islamic past and consists of ruins that date more than 1,000 years.
Iman made her feature film debut with Spinning Gasing in 2000 and has since been seen in films such as City Sharks ( Singapore), Puaka Tebing Biru, the award-winning Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang, as well as action films such as Air Force The Movie: Selagi Bernyawa and Polis Evo 3.
Before getting into acting, she was a part-time model and was away from Malaysia for more than a year trying to figure out her future. Upon returning, on a friend’s advice, she decided to try auditioning for a role in the Hollywood film Anna and the King (1999) at an open casting.
That did not go well as she was turned down for not having any prior acting experience, but was eventually persuaded to go for another audition, and the rest is history.
Having many interests helps
From actress to filmmaker, Iman is a person who has many interests. At the Tour de Langkawi cycling race in 2015, she was the head of content in charge of the highlights' show. In the same year, she had the opportunity to help a Dutch production team to work on several short stories for Station Stories.
“I remember this woman director who inspired me a lot. She gave me the task of interviewing strangers and getting them to tell their stories, whatever story they wanted to tell.
“When I finished that, I remembered she said to me, ‘You’re good at this. You got to do more’,” recalled Iman.
She thinks that she approached the task from an acting point of view because she often does research for her roles.
“I love doing research. And I wish there was more time when you could do lots of research. So from then on, it was one after another that came about.
“I then went on to do projects that had to do with wildlife, history, heritage, culture… all the things that, you know, I have passion for,” she recalled.
During the pandemic, Iman told herself it was time to help others pick themselves up.
“Some people were okay and some were not. I was thankful I was getting work. So in early last year 2022, I said to myself that maybe I should commit to one project whereby I’m doing something for my country,” she said.
Bujang Valley legacy
In 2017, she directed several stories and videos for Think City. She has always been impressed by the projects they have undertaken over the years and how they have turned so many things around.
So when she was contacted about Think City’s Northern Region project, she was naturally excited.
As a person who is well travelled, Iman, like so many other people in Malaysia, had no clue about Lenggong before shooting the documentary.
“There are a lot of places in Peninsular Malaysia where I haven’t been to. So when I went to Lenggong, it was incredible. The same goes for Lembah Bujang,” said Iman, who was introduced to Lembah Bujang (Bujang Valley) by a good friend.
She never realised that during that visit many years ago, she would one day be shooting a documentary that is helping to raise awareness of the ancient civilisation in Kedah.
“I would say the whole experience of shooting in both places went beyond a job. It was very meaningful. This may not be a big project, but it's a meaningful project.
“Because in my mind, I feel like I have to sort of spell out, to think about what are the things that Think City is trying to convey.
“At the same time, all the kampong folks I’ve met, I feel like it’s my duty to tell their story,” said Iman, who referred to both documentaries as teasers to raise awareness of these places.
As she points out, when Malaysians want to go on a holiday, they prefer places like Penang and Malacca or one of our island resorts. They aren’t aware of what places like Lenggong and Lembah Bujang can offer them.
The same goes for foreign tourists who might prefer going to these unique destinations.
Archaeotourism or Archaeological tourism is something certain countries use to not only preserve their ancient heritage but also gain revenue from tourists.
“You know, a lot of times, for many years, we’ve been focusing on building lots of shopping malls and factories… What about what we already have?” asked Iman.
Some of the villagers she interviewed have special sets of skills. One of them was the late Muhammad Naim Azizan, a keris maker from Bedong, Kedah (featured in Mengupas Lembah Bujang) who helped Iman look for interesting people for story angles.
Passing on traditions
In Lembah Bujang, she met a perahu (small boat) maker called Pak Don who used to be a traditional gendang (drum) player and was part of a group that performed regularly.
They also used to make their own gendang. Now there is only him and a few others who are well-versed in this traditional art form.
“These skills have been passed on from generation to generation,” Iman explained, adding that the younger generation is more interested in jobs that help them earn an easier living.
Among the notable people she featured was Professor Siti Zuraina Abdul Majid, the leading archaeologist of the team that discovered The Perak Man in Lenggong in Menerokai Tapak Warisan Dunia Unesco Lenggong.
Writer/founder of Pusaka, Eddin Khoo, and geo-archaeologist Professor Mokhtar Saidin were interviewed for Mengupas Lembah Bujang.
Meeting Zarina was supposed to be only for an hour but Iman said they ended up talking for four hours.
“I was not making a story about who is the one who found what first. It was an encapsulation of several things. So I wanted someone who truly loved Lenggong, who truly felt for Lenggong, who had experience in Lenggong,” she said.
She hoped to be able to make more documentaries on places that not many people know about while she juggles her acting career and filmmaking.
Describing herself as a storyteller, Iman feels that documentaries are a great medium to convey great stories about people and places.
“I’m a storyteller, not a politician. For me, I feel like I need to come from a more humanistic point of view because of the way things are nowadays.
“I think it’s really important for us to go back to why we are a country and what is important to us right now. How we can work together despite our differences and make our country thrive. It’s not just about making money,” she explained.
As a documentary filmmaker, she wants to continue producing stories that can have an impact.
“I want people of different demographics to watch the show,” said Iman, who was impressed that places like Lenggong and Lembah Bujang have what is called community tourism.
“You have these locals who are really, really pushing and promoting their work and what they have there. On my first trip to Lenggong, we visited this place where we enjoyed a farmer’s lunch.
“There was this lady who would cook… They have this outdoor place where visitors can come. I heard that they were foreign tourists before the pandemic.”
While she was in Lenggong, she and her crew woke up early in the morning to go kayaking in the serene river. There are many activities to enjoy in places like Lenggong and Lembah Bujang, including hiking and exploring caves. Soaking in the culture and history of the place is a bonus.
She noted how homes are made from repurposed wood and how nothing goes to waste there.
Iman recommended that instead of going abroad for the holidays, Malaysians should opt to visit places like Lenggong and Lembah Bujang.
“Explore and try not to see from a tourist’s point of view,’ she suggested. - Mkini
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