#SHOWBIZ: From Omadal to screen: Stateless youths co-direct new documentary 'Jom Kita Ke Laut'

 By Olivia Miwil

July 4, 2026 @ 2:06pm

Filmmaker Zan Azlee collaborated with three stateless Bajau Laut youth directors to create the newly premiered 72-minute documentary, 'Jom Kita Ke Laut.' Pic courtesy of Fat Bidin Media

SEMPORNA: What began as a simple documentary screening on Omadal Island off Semporna has blossomed into a unique cinematic collaboration, empowering stateless Bajau Laut youths to tell their own stories on the silver screen.

Filmmaker Zan Azlee shared that the idea for the recently premiered 72-minute documentary, Jom Kita Ke Laut, was sparked during a visit to the island several years ago.

At the time, Zan and his production company, Fat Bidin, were on a roadshow across Sabah screening a previous documentary on Lahad Datu.

"One of the places we screened the film was Pulau Omadal. We found the island fascinating because of the seemingly harmonious relationship between the Bajau Laut community and the mainland-dwelling Bajau Darat," Zan told the New Straits Times.

During the visit, the crew encountered Iskul Sama Dilaut Omadal, an alternative learning centre dedicated to educating stateless Bajau Laut children.

"We approached them with the idea of running storytelling workshops for their students and perhaps even making a film. Once we secured the funding, we hit the ground running," he added.

The documentary has been screening in Sabah and Kuala Lumpur since 2nd July.

The project took about a year to complete, kicking off with storytelling workshops involving 15 Iskul students. From this group, three standout youths—Bilkuin, Shima, and Didi—were selected as junior directors, working with Zan and his professional crew.

"We went back and forth to the island over the course of that year. We provided the junior directors with themes, which they interpreted to decide on the film's various topics and issues," Zan said.

"The final film is a blend of their own footage and material shot by our professional crew. The junior directors also had a say in approving the rough cuts until we reached the final edit. We relied on them to tell the story; we were just there to facilitate."

Zan emphasised that this collaborative approach ensured the documentary authentically reflected the lived experiences of the community, rather than imposing an outsider's gaze.

Reflecting on the journey, the filmmaker noted that the project profoundly reinforced his belief that the thirst for knowledge transcends circumstance.

"There are many takeaways, but the most significant for me is that human beings always desire to learn and improve themselves, no matter their situation," he said.