Abstract:

The Story of Southern Islet is the debut feature film directed by Chong Keat Au, with Malaysian folk beliefs as its central theme. Drawing inspiration from the director’s own childhood experiences, the film utilizes witchcraft as a narrative symbol to illustrate the dispersed history of Malaysian Chinese and the identity predicaments faced by this marginalized group. The director's own experience of diaspora, along with the stories of the previous generations depicted in the film, collectively present a history of diaspora and the evolution of identity among Malaysian Chinese viewers. Malaysian Chinese have gradually broken through various historical boundaries, maintaining a strong sense of cultural and social identity with their ancestral homeland while deeply integrating into the host country's society.

Key words: Chong Keat Aun, The Story of Southern Islet, dispersed Chinese, identity