SHORT SYNOPSIS

"DARI JEMAPOH KE MANCHESTEÉ" is about two youths from a village in Negeri Sembilan who travel to England to realise their respective dreams of meeting a long-lost father and watching a European Cup match.

During the journey they have many bittersweet encounters. The road from Jemapoh to Manchester is also the road from childhood to maturity.

LONGER SYNOPSIS

Yadi and Mafiz are two youths in their early 20s who are bored out of their minds in their tiny village of Jemapoh, Negeri Sembilan, where there are more cows than people. Yadi dreams of seeing his favourite team Manchester United play, while Mafliz wants to meet up with his long-lost father, believed to be in Liverpool. Yadi steals a red Volvo and manages to bully Mafiz into following him along on a journey to England.

Armed with nothing but determination, these two young men begin their journey. They stop at a nightclub where a punk band is playing. Unfortunately the concert is disrupted by gun-toting gangsters in batik shirts. Yadi and Mafiz escape but are shocked to discover that Lini, a musician from the concert, has snuck into their car. Lini wants to tag along with them because he wants to meet his girlfriend in Germany.

The next day, Yadi rescues a young woman, Mila, from being abused by a pimp named Rifik. Mafiz suggests that Mila come along with them but Yadi isn't quite so eager. The friendship between this pair becomes strained due to jealousy. Many other things happen on this journey. Among them is the return of Rifik who wants revenge; and a mysterious pervert who kidnaps Mila.

Will these young people realise their ambitions?

"DARI JEMAPOH KE MANCHESTEÉ" is Malaysia's first road movie. This light-hearted movie is layered with a-soundtrack that ranges from 1960s pop yeh yeh to punk and alternative sounds.

Like other road movies, this is a simple story which nonetheless has deeper themes of resilience, solidarity and friendship. It is dedicated to the youth of the past, the present and the future.

[ go to the Malay version ]