Muhammad Nur Arif Muzani, 22, has global developmental delay, an intellectual disability. He is also an actor.
Arif, as his friends and family call him, goes to a centre in Rosyth Road each morning where he packs airline headphones, then comes home to watch videos or play games on his iPad.
Speaking to The Straits Times, the shy Arif has to be coaxed to talk about acting in Layang Layang Terbang Melayang (The Kite Soars High), a short film. Released in 2018, he plays Rashid, a young man whose mother, his main caregiver, has died. His older brother Razak has to put his life on hold to care for Rashid, but Razak worries for the future: What if he were to die or become unable to care for his brother?
The film touches on an idea that its producers, the social service organisation, the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (Minds), hope to highlight: that families try to come to terms with the idea that one day, the primary caregiver might become unable to fulfil that role and what to do in that situation.
In the film, Razak struggles to come to terms with his new role as Rashid's caregiver.
In real life, Arif's parents, Mr Muzani Jaffar, 56, an oil refinery technician, and Madam Jaliah Mohammad, 57, a housewife, tell ST that while the topic is a difficult one to broach, it is one they have talked over with the family. Arif has two older siblings, a brother and a sister.
Minds runs workshops and support networks that aim to help persons from different stages of life should they find themselves becoming a caregiver, a role that can create feelings of anxiety and guilt.
The Minds Film Festival, which features films that deal with the lives of the intellectually disabled, opened yesterday. Caregiver-sibling support, as shown in Layang Layang, is the focus of the festival this year.
The film-maker behind the short film, Ghazi Alqudcy, 37, says he cast Arif after visiting several Minds facilities. He "fell in love" with Arif's strong personality and expressive eyes.
"He is kind of a leader. He leads his group of friends and protects them in a way. He doesn't like to be hugged. He pushes you away if you hug him and I put that in the film," says Ghazi.
Mr Cliford Carbonel Sittaraman, a Minds training officer, was cast as brother Razak.
Ghazi says he enjoys working with non-actors in his films and was given a free hand to choose anyone, intellectually disabled or not, to play Rashid.
-
BOOK IT /MINDS FILM FESTIVAL
-
WHERE: Shaw Theatres Lido, Shaw House, Levels 5 & 6, 350 Orchard Road
WHEN: Till Sunday, various times
ADMISSION: $10 from the Shaw Theatres box office or www.shaw.sg
INFO: mindsfilmfest.com
The director says he is aware that in film-makiRead More – Source
Muhammad Nur Arif Muzani, 22, has global developmental delay, an intellectual disability. He is also an actor.
Arif, as his friends and family call him, goes to a centre in Rosyth Road each morning where he packs airline headphones, then comes home to watch videos or play games on his iPad.
Speaking to The Straits Times, the shy Arif has to be coaxed to talk about acting in Layang Layang Terbang Melayang (The Kite Soars High), a short film. Released in 2018, he plays Rashid, a young man whose mother, his main caregiver, has died. His older brother Razak has to put his life on hold to care for Rashid, but Razak worries for the future: What if he were to die or become unable to care for his brother?
The film touches on an idea that its producers, the social service organisation, the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (Minds), hope to highlight: that families try to come to terms with the idea that one day, the primary caregiver might become unable to fulfil that role and what to do in that situation.
In the film, Razak struggles to come to terms with his new role as Rashid's caregiver.
In real life, Arif's parents, Mr Muzani Jaffar, 56, an oil refinery technician, and Madam Jaliah Mohammad, 57, a housewife, tell ST that while the topic is a difficult one to broach, it is one they have talked over with the family. Arif has two older siblings, a brother and a sister.
Minds runs workshops and support networks that aim to help persons from different stages of life should they find themselves becoming a caregiver, a role that can create feelings of anxiety and guilt.
The Minds Film Festival, which features films that deal with the lives of the intellectually disabled, opened yesterday. Caregiver-sibling support, as shown in Layang Layang, is the focus of the festival this year.
The film-maker behind the short film, Ghazi Alqudcy, 37, says he cast Arif after visiting several Minds facilities. He "fell in love" with Arif's strong personality and expressive eyes.
"He is kind of a leader. He leads his group of friends and protects them in a way. He doesn't like to be hugged. He pushes you away if you hug him and I put that in the film," says Ghazi.
Mr Cliford Carbonel Sittaraman, a Minds training officer, was cast as brother Razak.
Ghazi says he enjoys working with non-actors in his films and was given a free hand to choose anyone, intellectually disabled or not, to play Rashid.
-
BOOK IT /MINDS FILM FESTIVAL
-
WHERE: Shaw Theatres Lido, Shaw House, Levels 5 & 6, 350 Orchard Road
WHEN: Till Sunday, various times
ADMISSION: $10 from the Shaw Theatres box office or www.shaw.sg
INFO: mindsfilmfest.com
The director says he is aware that in film-makiRead More – Source
