2009
Bertha Hertogh, the subject of the film NADRA passes away in her home in Huijbergen, the Netherlands.
Reproduced below is a statement released by Bertha Hertogh’s family
Huijbergen, The Netherlands, July 8th 2009
Today, at the age of 72, Bertha Hertogh passed away in her place of residence Huijbergen, The Netherlands. Bertha was world news in 1950 when she was at the center of a legal conflict between her Dutch parents and her Malaysian adoption mother. After the judge had assigned her to her Dutch parents, ethnic riots broke out between Muslims and Christians in Singapore. Eighteen people were killed and some two hundred injured.
Despite the fact that Bertha built a new life in The Netherlands after her forced departure, her heart had always remained in Indonesia and Malaysia. In 1999, it was for the first time that she returned to her places of childhood for a documentary for Dutch television. According to Bertha, her childhood was the only period in her life that she was really happy.
In Malaysia and Singapore, Bertha Hertogh (or ‘Nadra’ as she was called by her adoption mother) is still a well-known name among the older generation. For many people, she is still an icon for the battle against the British imperialism and an example of what religious differences can lead to.
In the works are a motion picture, a documentary, and book about the life of Nadra in pre-production in Singapore, Malaysia and The Netherlands. The film shows from the perspective of Bertha what events led to the riots and how she became a victim in a conflict full of religious and colonial elements. The film is directed by Ben Sombogaart, known for movies like Twin Sisters and Bride Flight. The film is being produced by IDTV (Bride Flight, Love is All), Fu Works (Winter in Wartime, Blackbook) and from Singapore, Monsoon Pictures. The shooting of the film is expected in 2010 and the release is expected 2011. Dutch broadcaster NCRV will co-produce the feature film and documentary. The book will be published at the end of 2009 in cooperation with publishing company House Of Knowledge.
Bertha Hertogh is remembered as a loving and caring woman who continuously dedicated her life to others. As a result, her own happiness always came second place. She will be deeply missed by her children and grandchildren. Bertha died from leukemia.
Acclaimed Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir to take on From Beirut to Jerusalem.
Award-winning Palestinian writer-director Annemarie Jacir has come onboard Monsoon Pictures’ English/Arabic feature From Beirut to Jerusalem. Based on the book of the same name by Malaysian-born doctor Ang Swee Chai, the film is set in 1982 war-torn Beirut and tells of the intensely personal story of a woman who by chance found herself as a witness to a massive war crime and found herself forever changed.
Jacir on why she was interested in the project:
“It is the story of our humanity and that in a moment, in a particular experience, when we as human beings are confronted with the unimaginable, that we must make a choice. From Beirut to Jerusalem is about a woman who chose to change.” She adds, “As a filmmaker and as a Palestinian, I am also deeply interested in the story as it speaks to the history of my people, but through the eyes of an Asian woman. It's not another story following the predominant European narrative, but instead it's the untold story of another kind of meeting between two peoples, two cultures. For me, this is also part of our story. From Beirut to Jerusalem is about the human spirit, about the place where souls meet.”
Jacir’s debut feature Salt of this Sea has received multiple awards and rave reviews in Europe, Asia, North America and the Middle-East since its world premiere at Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard in 2007.
Monsoon Pictures to introduce two new feature film projects at this year’s Marché du Film in Cannes.
In line with its commitment to develop and produce quality films for the international market, Monsoon Pictures will be introducing two new feature projects at this year’s Marché du Film in Cannes.
The first is Chalo Delhi, an English/Hindi film based on the true story of the Rani of Jhansi regiment, an all-female unit of the Indian National Army formed in Singapore in 1943 to force the British out of India. The story is told from the perspective of 16-year-old Rasammah Navarednam and her sister Ponnammah, who left their sheltered lives in wartime Malaya and took the oath to fight and die for Indian independence despite family objections and societal expectations.
The second feature is Ji'a, a Korean/Mandarin film based on the novel of the same name by Kim Hyejin. Inspired by true events, Ji'a tells the story of a gifted North Korean dancer whose secret family past returns to haunt her at the peak of her career. It is the coming-of-age story about a girl forced from a sheltered life in Pyongyang into the brutal world of a defector during a time of famine and national suffering in one of the least-known countries in the world.
Monsoon Pictures is seeking international partners to co-develop and co-produce these projects. Visit Monsoon Pictures at the Marché du Film, Cannes, Singapore Pavilion, Booth C9, Riveria Hall from 13 - 22 May 2009 or contact Christopher Chew at chris@monsoonpictures.com to schedule an appointment.