Filmmaker with a Difference

James Lee is that rare Malaysian filmmaker who straddles the line between mainstream commercial flick and independent art house films - and he is steadily making a name for himself in both arenas.

The self-taught filmmaker wrote and directed Malay horror flicks such as Histeria and Tolong! Awek Aku Pontianak!, as well as action-packed movie The Collector and period Kung-Fu comedy Petaling Street Warriors. But he is also the darling of the independent film circuit, both at home and abroad. At the ninth edition of the Deauville Asian Film Festival in 2007, there was a special focus on his movies, the first time the French festival has turned the spotlight on a Malaysian filmmaker. His critically-acclaimed indie films include The Beautiful Washing Machine and Call If You Need Me — both award-winning films — and the critically-acclaimed Love trilogy.

Read the full interview by Elaine Lau on The Edge