FFF5 | Baling

On December 28, 1955, a small schoolroom in northern Malaya became a historic site. What would come to be known as the Baling Talks was an unique attempt to bring peace to the Malayan peninsula devastated by war. Reconstructing this historically significant event based on publicly available transcripts, director Mark Teh looks at questions on nation formation with a team of performer-collaborators.

Various visions on building a nation were imagined, discussed and discarded. In the process, the meanings of nation, loyalty, terrorism, reconciliation, sacrifice, surrender and independence are constantly modified and remediated. The documentary performance combines personal stories and historical events to intersect with situations today, while exploring the multifaceted nature of history.