A documentary banned in Singapore for being critical of the government will be screened at the Freedom Film Fest (FFF) 2005 in Kuala Lumpur.

Singapore Rebel , the maiden effort of director Martyn See, tells the tale of the republic's vocal opposition activist Chee Soon Juan ( photo ).

It was withdrawn from the Singapore Film Festival in April after See was warned that he could face a fine of up to S$100,000 under the Films Act for knowingly distributing a 'party political film'.

On foreign shores, it was screened at the New Zealand Human Rights Film Festival and Amnesty International Film Festival in Hollywood.

In a previous interview with international news agency AFP , See stated that Singapore Rebel was made to "chronicle the civil disobedience acts of Chee Soon Juan."

Chee is currently facing bankruptcy after being made to pay former prime ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chong Tok S$500,000 for defamation in a 2001 election campaign

See will be present at the FFF tomorrow for a discussion session open to the public.

Promotion of human rights

Joining him will be fellow film makers Amir Muhammad, Lexy Rambadeta and Nana Buxani to discuss the role of film makers in promoting human rights in the region.

Rambadeta will be at the screening of two of his films followed by a question and answer session with the audience.

Documenting life in a community in Indonesia's Sumbawa Island, Youth On The Edge , bagged the best film award at the 2004 Jakarta International Film Festival.

Meanwhile, the death of leading human rights activist Munir Said Thalib under suspicious circumstances and its implications on the government of Susilo Bambang Yudhuyono will be explored in Garuda's Deadly Upgrade .

Also in the line-up is Life On The Tracks by Buxani, a film about a family living by the railway tracks in the Philippines.

Hailing from Mindanao, Buxani has won critical acclaim for her films, one of which won The Grand Award at the New York Film and Television Festivals in 1999. She will also be present at the film's screening.

In its second year, FFF is organised by local NGO Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat or Komas.

Entering its third day today , the festival is held at the Actor's Studio in Bangsar Shopping Centre and will culminate in an awards night on Sunday.

Event coordinator Lor Yew Mien said FFF was dedicated to human rights awareness and freedom of speech.

"The festival also aims to promote local film makers to the public and to encourage new film makers, community groups and NGO's to use video as a (communication) tool," she added.

Further details and a schedule of the screening are available here .