Goddess of the Earth Gazing at Home: Chang Chi-an Records Malaysian Stories with Light and Shadow

Central News Agency

(Central News Agency reporter Huang Tzu-chiang, Kuala Lumpur, 10th) From "The Story of Southern Islet" and "Snow in June" to the upcoming new work "Goddess of the Earth" to be screened in Malaysia, Malaysian director Chang Chi-an has consistently gazed at his hometown Kedah, near the Malaysia-Thailand border. Land faith, women, folklore, and the wounds of colonial history have become important life themes in his films.

Chang Chi-an stated in an exclusive interview with Central News Agency today that each of his works is closely related to his family background and upbringing, and telling stories for his hometown has gradually become a creative desire in recent years. His narratives are inseparable from elements such as female perspectives, folk beliefs, and the idea that "all things have spirits."

He pointed out, "A director always has a very important puzzle piece in their heart, hoping to record it through light and shadow, piecing together memories of their hometown."

In 2020, Chang Chi-an won Best New Director at the 57th Golden Horse Awards for "The Story of Southern Islet." Subsequently, he directed "Snow in June," "The Blessed Ones," and "Goddess of the Earth," repeatedly gaining international film festival attention. Within six years, he was nominated three times for the Golden Horse Awards, accumulating 19 nominations and winning 5 Golden Horse Awards. Last year, "Goddess of the Earth" was nominated for 8 major awards including Best Feature Film and Best Director at the 62nd Golden Horse Awards, and won three awards: Best Actress, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Film Song. It will be screened in Malaysia on the 14th.

## Drawing inspiration from rural legends, "Goddess of the Earth" conveys stories of land and women

"Goddess of the Earth" draws its inspiration from a rural legend of a female shaman in Kedah's paddy fields who performed healing rituals. The story looks back at the late 1990s in Malaysia, an era shrouded in internal political turmoil, focusing on the rice-growing villages in northern Malaysia where Malay, Chinese, and Siamese cultures intermingle, presenting a life intertwined with borderland, humanities, and folk beliefs.

Chang Chi-an said that the prototype for "Goddess of the Earth" came from a shaman he heard about in his childhood. He did not want to portray the character as a superhero but hoped to present an ordinary woman who is respected for her spiritual strength, much like a common person.

He said, "'Goddess of the Earth' is not just a mother, but more like a guardian of the land and the soul of the paddy fields."

Speaking of the elements of black magic, sorcery, and the supernatural in the film, Chang Chi-an emphasized that he did not deliberately create a horror atmosphere but wanted to be close to local customs and culture, touching upon the folk cultures of the Malaysia-Thailand border, where people coexist with beliefs and witchcraft, facing life with a calm and composed attitude.

## Directors are like elephant handlers, making the "elephant in the room" visible

Discussing the relationship between creation and social issues, Chang Chi-an quoted "the elephant in the room" to describe the current social situation, meaning many problems are known to everyone but people choose to ignore them. If everyone maintains a silent attitude of indifference to social issues, the distrust and indifference between people will only continue to accumulate.

In his eyes, film is like a window and a channel, an important medium for bringing the "elephant" into the public space. "Directors are like elephant handlers; we bring the elephant out, not just for everyone to see, but hoping everyone starts discussing it."

## Films interspersed with multiple languages, presenting Malaysia's diverse true appearance

As a Malaysian Chinese director, Chang Chi-an stated that he starts from the perspective of a Malaysian when creating. In addition to Chinese, his films also heavily intersperse different ethnic languages such as Malay, Siamese, indigenous languages, and Indian languages.

He said that Malaysia is inherently a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, where different cultures have coexisted for a long time, and cultural blending is commonplace in people's growth. He hopes to present the true diverse ethnic and cultural blending of Malaysia through his films.

## Deeply influenced by Taiwan, hoping for a blossoming of Malaysian cinema

Chang Chi-an said in an exclusive interview that Taiwanese cinema has had a profound impact on him. When he was young, he encountered the works of directors Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Edward Yang, and although he "half-understood" them, after having the opportunity to study film and re-watching them, the feeling was completely different.

He believes that from the 1980s to the present, Taiwanese cinema, whether art films, humanistic films, or commercial films, has gradually developed into a blossoming scene, also providing more space for various types of creators.

Chang Chi-an stated that "blossoming" is very important for the development of the film industry. He hopes that one day, Malaysia will have its own important film festival and a cinema system that can continuously screen non-mainstream films. (Editor: Tien Jui-hua) 1150510

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