Tech Tales Youth’s latest film collection, showcasing powerful stories about digital rights from Malaysia and Bangladesh, launched with compelling premieres highlighting the urgent need for youth-led digital rights advocacy in Southeast Asia. The premieres revealed strong demand for community screenings and sparked crucial discussions about online safety, digital security, and freedom of expression.
Successful Regional Premieres
The Malaysian premiere, held on January 18 at the Toffee in Kuala Lumpur, drew over 100 attendees from civil society organisations, film initiatives, and student groups. Co-organised with Freedom Film Network Malaysia, the region’s longest-running human rights film festival organiser, the event featured six short films exploring pressing digital rights issues, including online grooming, digital discrimination, and government surveillance.
The films deeply resonated with audiences, particularly in exploring how digital rights intersect with Malaysia’s complex social landscape. “Balang Terang” examined the impact of online disinformation on racial and religious harmony, while “Hai Anis” addressed the increasing threat of online grooming targeting Malaysian youth.
Seated on stage during the Q&A session (from left): Tech Tales Youth advisory board member Saiyeed Shahjada Al-Kareem, filmmakers Ishtiyak Ahmad Zihad (‘Whispers of the Ink’), Lamea Tanjin Tanha (‘Echoes of Exile’), Taosin Md. Bahadurshah Zafar (‘The Black Kite’) and Tech Tales Youth Project Lead King Catoy. The Bangladesh premiere was held at the Bangabandhu International Convention Center in Dhaka on February 4, 2025.
The Bangladesh premiere, held on February 4 at the Bangabandhu International Convention Center in Dhaka, gathered 90 participants, primarily students and civil society representatives. Co-organised with the youth-led digital rights organisation Activate Rights, the screening took place after the DRAPAC Digital Rights National Convening, amplifying discussions around critical issues like internet shutdowns, online harassment, and digital security.
The Bangladesh collection features compelling works, including “The Black Kite,” which explores how internet shutdowns affect disabled gig workers, “Whispers of the Ink“, examining privacy violations during political unrest, and “Echoes of Exile“, highlighting digital harassment faced by marginalised communities.
Distribution Challenges and Opportunities
The film collection includes “Echoes of Exile,” which addresses critical issues facing Bangladesh’s hijra community. Given the sensitive nature of LGBTQ+ topics in Bangladesh, the project team is particularly interested in connecting with international organisations that can help amplify these important stories and support broader discussions about gender identity and human rights in the region.
Impact Through Mentorship and Community Engagement
Tech Tales Youth filmmakers engage in a Q&A session at the Malaysian premiere in Kuala Lumpur (from left): Intan Sakinah (‘Balang Terang’), Azura Nasron (‘Hai Anis’), and Tech Tales Youth Project Lead King Catoy.
Tech Tales Youth integrates filmmaking with digital rights advocacy through a structured mentorship program. The project began with an intensive digital rights and impact production workshop in Kuala Lumpur last September 2024, where young filmmakers received mentorship from an advisory board of regional experts. This foundation in both creative storytelling and advocacy has enabled the filmmakers to lead various community initiatives:
- Bangladeshi filmmakers Taosin Zafar and Ishtiyak Ahmad Zihad brought digital rights discussions to the Bangladesh University of Professional FilmFest 2025
- “Balang Terang” director Intan Sakinah, partnering with Architects of Diversity, developed an interactive screening module on identifying disinformation
- Filmmaker Azura Nasron is creating the “Hai Anis Campaign Toolkit” to facilitate discussions on online grooming prevention while conducting screenings with Malaysian children’s rights organisation Monsters Among Us
Get Involved
Organisations interested in hosting screenings can access the following:
- Free film screenings
- Campaign toolkits and discussion guides
- Support for impact activities
- Connection with young filmmakers
Potential screening partners include:
- Educational institutions (high schools and universities)
- Youth organisations and community centres
- Religious institutions and cultural centres
- Civil society organisations and advocacy groups
- Media organisations and film schools
Preview the Films
Explore the Tech Tales Youth collection through our film trailers and Electronic Press Kit. Full screeners of the films are available upon request for organisations interested in hosting screenings. For screening requests and partnership opportunities, contact King Catoy, Tech Tales Youth Project Lead, at [email protected].
About Tech Tales Youth
Tech Tales Youth is an EngageMedia initiative supporting young filmmakers in creating compelling stories about digital rights while building advocacy campaigns for safer digital spaces. Building on successful editions in Thailand and the Philippines, this latest collection brings urgent stories from Malaysia and Bangladesh, where emerging filmmakers shine a light on pressing digital rights challenges in their local contexts. The films serve as crucial tools for awareness-raising and advocacy, inspiring audiences to take action and support local digital rights initiatives.
