Fostering Spirit of Unity through Film “Ola Bola”
Abstract
The film ‘Ola Bola’, released on the 28th January 2016, raked MYR 16 million by the first week of March 2016 (Malay Mail Online, 2016) and 14 nominations at the Malaysian Film Festival (FFM) (Yeoh, 2016). The film also took away a special jury award for national unity. Films have said to have the power to affect viewers; many newspapers and articles have quoted that Ola Bola has inspired Malaysians to come together as one. In light of this issue, this research paper investigates if Ola Bola truly fosters unity among Malaysians. A textual analysis followed by an in-depth interview with 12 participants were conducted to study their perception on whether the film had inspired them to unite. The findings of the research conclude that the film conveyed the message of unity with great clarity, strongly, and had values to instil in Malaysians to uphold but it wasn’t impactful enough to foster unity.
References
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Li, J. (2013). Framing Gun Violence: A Content Analysis of the Aurora Theater Shooting and the Newtown Shooting.
Mahmood, I. (2013). Influence and Importance of Cinema on the Lifestyle of Educated Youth: A study on University Students of Bangladesh. IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science, [online] 17(6), pp.77-80. Available at: http://www.iosrjournals.org [Accessed 26 Mar. 2017].
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Mohd Shariff, S., Sualman, I. and AdiIrawan, E. (2013). Fostering Unity among Malaysians: A Case Study on the Local Film Industry. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 3(10), pp.110-120.
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Peel, G. (2011). The Affects of Romantic Comedies on Relationships in Reality. pp.3-22.
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Shahnon Mohamed Salleh, Anitawati Lokman, and Abd Rasid Abd Rahman, (2013). Re-Evaluating Race And Racial Conflicts: An Instrumentalist View Of Race Relations In Malaysia. Proceeding of the International Conference on Social Science Research, pp.823-829.
Sheila Yvonne J., Nurzihan Hassima, and Nur Leila K., (2014). An Analysis of Youth Perception on Women in a Malay Romance Film. The International Conference on Communication and Media, pp.423-427.
Stout, H. (2011). Portrayals of Relational Aggression in Popular Teen Movies: 1980-2009. pp.17-18.
Syed A. I., and Latiffah P., (1988). Media, ethnicity and national unity : A Malaysian case. Media, Ethnicity and National unity. [online] Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10220/412 [Accessed 26 Mar. 2017].
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Worldtrans.org. (n.d.). The Meaning of Perception. [online] Available at: http://www.worldtrans.org/TP/TP1/TP1-9.HTML [Accessed 27 Jan. 2017].
Yeoh, A. (2016). Ola Bola scores 14 noms at Malaysia Film Festival - Star2.com. [online] Star2.com. Available at: http://www.star2.com/entertainment/movies/movie-news/2016/08/04/ola-bola-scores-14-nominations-at-malaysia-film-festival/#7j1mqQm
Al Johani Abdulrahman, and Turiman Suandi, (2015). Comparative Review between Youth in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare, [online] 5(2), pp.187-193. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Abdulrahman_Awadh_Al-Johani/publication/275890760_Comparative_Review_between_Youth_in_Malaysia_and_Saudi_Arabia/links/5548e1110cf205bce7abfb11.pdf [Accessed 27 Jan. 2017].
Carter, S. (2017). Christian Youth & Movies. [online] Culture and Youth Studies. Available at: http://cultureandyouth.org/movies/articles-movies/christian-youth-movies/ [Accessed 27 Jan. 2017].
Dirks, T. (n.d.). Film History of the 1930s. [online] Filmsite.org. Available at: http://www.filmsite.org/30sintro2.html [Accessed 20 Jan. 2017].
Dzuhailmi D., Nobaya A., Mariah M., Jamilah O., Nor Azliza W. A., and Md. Salleh H., (2011). The Challenges of 1Malaysia and The Reality of Youth’s Involvement with the Unity Campaign on Television. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 5(11), pp.2132-2138.
Ford-Jones, A., Burlington, O., Calgary, A. and Nieman, P. (2003). Impact of media use on children and youth. Paediatrics and Child Health, [online] 8(5), pp.301–306. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2792691/ [Accessed 27 Jan. 2017].
Foster. (n.d.). In: English Oxford Living Dictionaries, 1st ed. [online] Available at: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/foster [Accessed 28 Jan. 2017].
Free Malaysia Today. (2016). Lights, camera, GOAL: What ‘Ola Bola’ can teach M’sia’s film industry. [online] Available at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2016/02/23/lights-camera-goal-what-ola-bola-can-teach-msias-film-industry/ [Accessed 26 Jan. 2017].
Free Malaysia Today. (2016). Unity: 5 challenges, 5 solutions. [online] Available at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2016/08/10/unity-5-challenges-5-solutions/ [Accessed 26 Jan. 2017].
Freyenberger, D. (2013). Amanda Knox: A Content Analysis of Media Framing in Newspapers Around the World. Electronic Teses and Dissertations.
Griffin, R. (2014). A Disney Romance for the Ages: Idealistic Beliefs of Romantic Relationships Held by Youth.
Grutch, P. (2015). Venues of 1915: Nickelodeons to Movie Palaces. [online] Century Film Project. Available at: https://centuryfilmproject.org/2015/03/22/venues-of-1915-nickelodeons-to-movie-palaces/ [Accessed 20 Jan. 2017].
Hale, B. (2014). The History of the Hollywood Movie Industry. [online] History Cooperative. Available at: http://historycooperative.org/the-history-of-the-hollywood-movie-industry/ [Accessed 20 Jan. 2017].
Harding, C. (2012). Celluloid and Photography part two: The Development of Celluloid Rollfilm. National Media Museum. [online] Available at: http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk [Accessed 20 Jan. 2017].
Halpern-Felsher, B. and Cornell, J. (2007). Smoking in the Movies: Its Impact on Youth and Youth Smoking. 1st ed. Institute of Medicine of The National Academies, pp.516 -716.
Headsup.boyslife.org. (n.d.). What Was the First Movie Ever Made?. [online] Available at: http://headsup.boyslife.org/what-was-the-first-movie-ever-made/ [Accessed 20 Jan. 2017].
Hernandez, E. (2012). Using Cultivation Theory to Analyze College Student Attitudes about the Dating Process Following Exposure to Romantic Films. pp.9-15.
Hill, K. (n.d.). Auguste Lumiere & Louis Lumiere. [online] International Photography Hall of Fame. Available at: http://iphf.org/inductees/auguste-louis-lumiere/ [Accessed 20 Jan. 2017].
How do films contribute to shaping teenagers’ identity? A conversation with Jürgen Grimm. (2016).
Huckert, M. (2016). Movie unites youth. [online] Samoa Observer. Available at: http://www.samoaobserver.ws/en/15_05_2016/local/6162/Movie-unites-youth.htm [Accessed 27 Jan. 2017].
Important India. (2016). What is the Meaning of Unity? Why is it Important? - Important India. [online] Available at: http://www.importantindia.com/22484/meaning-of-unity/ [Accessed 26 Jan. 2017].
Karsh, S. (2016). Cartoons and Their Effect on Youth. Cartoon violence and aggression in youth.
Lee, Y. (2015). Yasmin Ahmad: Auteuring a New Malaysian Cinematic Landscape. Wacana Seni Journal of Arts Discourse, [online] 14, pp.88-107. Available at: http://wacanaseni.usm.my/WACANA%20SENI%20JOURNAL%20OF%20ARTS%20DISCOURSE/wacanaSeni_v14/WS-ART%204.pdf [Accessed 15 Jan. 2017].
Li, J. (2013). Framing Gun Violence: A Content Analysis of the Aurora Theater Shooting and the Newtown Shooting.
Mahmood, I. (2013). Influence and Importance of Cinema on the Lifestyle of Educated Youth: A study on University Students of Bangladesh. IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science, [online] 17(6), pp.77-80. Available at: http://www.iosrjournals.org [Accessed 26 Mar. 2017].
Malay Mail Online, (2016). ‘Ola Bola’ rakes in RM16 million at local box office. [online] Available at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/showbiz/article/ola-bola-rakes-in-rm16-million-at-local-box-office [Accessed 15 Jan. 2017].
Mei, L. and David, M. (2009). 1 Malaysia: Promoting Unity among the Different Races. Proceedings of 2009 International Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities, pp.104-107.
Minghella, A. (2004). The Impact of Local Cinema. [online] pp.1-7. Available at: http://filmhubscotland.com/media/36416/research_local_cinema_project.pdf [Accessed 28 Jan. 2017].
Mohd Shariff, S., Sualman, I. and AdiIrawan, E. (2013). Fostering Unity among Malaysians: A Case Study on the Local Film Industry. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 3(10), pp.110-120.
Movie. (n.d.). In: Merriam-Webster, 1st ed. [online] Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/movie [Accessed 28 Jan. 2017].
Obeidallah, D. (2012). Hollywood movies can (mis)educate us. [online] CNN. Available at: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/12/25/opinion/obeidallah-movie-messages/ [Accessed 26 Jan. 2017].
Ponnan, R. (2010). Investigating the influence of cultural conflict amongst Malay Films of the Golden Age. [online] http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/at-the-interface/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ramachandranmulpaper.pdf. Available at: http://www.inter-disciplinary.net/at-the-interface/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ramachandranmulpaper.pdf [Accessed 15 Jan. 2017].
Peel, G. (2011). The Affects of Romantic Comedies on Relationships in Reality. pp.3-22.
Plous, S. (n.d.). Perception, Memory and Context. 1st ed. pp.15-21.
Selective Exposure Theory. (2011). [online] pp.5-6. Available at: http://code.pediapress.com/ [Accessed 27 Mar. 2017].
Shahnon Mohamed Salleh, Anitawati Lokman, and Abd Rasid Abd Rahman, (2013). Re-Evaluating Race And Racial Conflicts: An Instrumentalist View Of Race Relations In Malaysia. Proceeding of the International Conference on Social Science Research, pp.823-829.
Sheila Yvonne J., Nurzihan Hassima, and Nur Leila K., (2014). An Analysis of Youth Perception on Women in a Malay Romance Film. The International Conference on Communication and Media, pp.423-427.
Stout, H. (2011). Portrayals of Relational Aggression in Popular Teen Movies: 1980-2009. pp.17-18.
Syed A. I., and Latiffah P., (1988). Media, ethnicity and national unity : A Malaysian case. Media, Ethnicity and National unity. [online] Available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10220/412 [Accessed 26 Mar. 2017].
The Great Train Robbery. (1903). [Film] Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division, Washington.
The Rakyat Post. (2015). Government ministers oppose Sept 16 rally if unity is at stake. [online] Available at: http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2015/09/14/government-ministers-oppose-sept-16-rally-if-unity-is-at-stake/ [Accessed 26 Jan. 2017].
The Star. (2016). Anas: More Malaysians eyeing unity. [online] Available at: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/09/25/anas-more-malaysians-eyeing-unity-campaign-to-help-needy-families-get-basic-groceries-launched/ [Accessed 26 Jan. 2017].
The Star. (2016). Power of words to unite Malaysians. [online] Available at: http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/08/26/power-of-words-to-unite-msians-say-something-nice-a-platform-for-peace/ [Accessed 26 Jan. 2017].
Unesco.org. (n.d.). Youth - Definition | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. [online] Available at: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/youth/youth-definition/ [Accessed 28 Jan. 2017].
Unity. (n.d.). In: Merriam-Webster, 1st ed. [online] Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/movie [Accessed 28 Jan. 2017].
Universiteit Twente. (n.d.). Mass Media | Framing. [online] Available at: https://www.utwente.nl/en/bms/communication-theories/sorted-by-cluster/Mass%20Media/Framing/ [Accessed 27 Mar. 2017].
Walker, E. and Johnson, D. (n.d.). Why Study Film. [online] Salisbury. Available at: http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~emwalker/why%20study%20film.htm [Accessed 28 Jan. 2017].
Worldtrans.org. (n.d.). The Meaning of Perception. [online] Available at: http://www.worldtrans.org/TP/TP1/TP1-9.HTML [Accessed 27 Jan. 2017].
Yeoh, A. (2016). Ola Bola scores 14 noms at Malaysia Film Festival - Star2.com. [online] Star2.com. Available at: http://www.star2.com/entertainment/movies/movie-news/2016/08/04/ola-bola-scores-14-nominations-at-malaysia-film-festival/#7j1mqQm
Published
2020-03-15
How to Cite
NAGARAJ, Sriganeshvarun; PRABAKARAN, Yasmin J K; MUSTAFA, Abdul Aziz.
Fostering Spirit of Unity through Film “Ola Bola”.
Asian Journal of Behavioural Sciences, [S.l.], v. 2, n. 1, p. 1-11, mar. 2020.
ISSN 2710-5865.
Available at: <https://myjms.mohe.gov.my/index.php/ajbs/article/view/8336>. Date accessed: 13 sep. 2024.
Section
Articles
