KLEX 2024: BEING HUMAN  
28thNovember – 1st December 2024  
Venue: Percussion Store 

KLEX – Kuala Lumpur Experimental Film, Video & Music Festival, the unique artists and volunteers-run grassroots international festival of experimental moving images and music, is back after a 4-year break! The 11th edition of the festival, KLEX 2024: BEING HUMAN will take place on 28thNovember – 1st December 2024 at the Percussion Store in Kota Damansara. The festival includes 5 experimental short film programmes and 3 nights of music programmes. The Opening Night is on Friday, 29thNovember, 7:30pm at the Percussion Store. 

KLEX 2024 Festival is made possible with the support of the Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur, and cooperative partners Topwind Solution, Percussion Store and Khatulistwa. 

EXPERIMENTAL SHORT FILM PROGRAMMES  

KLEX OPEN PROGRAMMES  

The international open call with the theme “BEING HUMAN” received 76 submissions worldwide, including experimental shorts from Malaysia, Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America. These films, from different regions, investigate a vast spectrum of subject matters related to “being human” and “being beyond human,” encompassing a variety of artistic approaches. The selected 33 finalist works range from abstract graphics, animation, and image-sound experimentation to experimental documentaries and manipulated narratives.  

KLEX SPECIAL PROGRAMME: PASSAGE OF TIME  

Curated by Kok Siew-Wai  

PASSAGE OF TIME features cinematic works by nine female media and multidisciplinary artists from Malaysia, Japan and Vietnam. They are Teo Wey Yinn, Okui Lala, Chloe Yap Mun Ee, Kok Siew-Wai, Sim Hoi-Ling, SueKi Yee, Raito Low Jing Yi, Nakazawa Aki and Nguyen Trinh

Thi. The artists interpret the notions of “time”, “change” and “transformation” through subject matters such as family, history, cultural identity, loss and grief, self-reflexivity, and film language. The selection of artists consists of young adults and mature women, providing a range of perspectives with contemplations on various concerns from artists of different generations and backgrounds. This programme was screened in the USA and Lithuania earlier this year.  

CANADIAN GUEST PROGRAMME: THREE TURNS  

Curated by Scott Miller Berry 

Canadian filmmaker and film programmer Scott Miller Berry will present his programme THREE TURNS in person! This programme features films by Mike Stoltz, Faisal Karadsheh, Chris Zhongtian Yuan, Monica Maria Moraru and Samy Benammar. The five films touch upon acts of witnessing, whether loss of domestic space, the death of a relative, the impact of natural disasters, or the revisiting of one’s homeland. Each frame is a window into the past, present and future. Selected by DIFFUSION Festival, presented by re:assemblage collective, Toronto, Canada.  

MUSIC PROGRAMME  

The music programme presents 32 local and international musicians, improvisers and composers with 18 music acts over 3 nights. You can expect a mixture of musical talents in Western and Eastern classical music, contemporary music, free jazz, free improvisation, electronic music, noise, etc., with a daring spirit for experimentation. The highlight of the festival is the legendary, award-winning, cross-genre composer, musician and producer, Otomo Yoshihide from Japan. Mr. Otomo will perform a solo set on the opening night on Friday, 29th November; and play in an ensemble with younger musicians on Sunday, 1st December. Mr. Otomo will also give an Artist’s Talk and conduct a Master Workshop on music improvisation on Thursday, 28th November. The talk + workshop event is free for students with valid student IDs! 

Another special highlight of the music programme is the amazing network with Taiwan. The festival features 10 musicians from there! They are: Gam Zuei, Huang Ching Yi, Lee Shih-Yang, Ying-Hao Lee, Lin Hsiao-Feng, Lin Tzu-Ning, Kozma Philo Liu, Try-Try (LICA & MARI) and Tyler Bennette. Besides, Lee Shih-Yang, Lin Hsiao-Feng, Darren Moore and Yong Yandsen will play as a cross-regional quartet, Snow Moon. 

Other musicians in the lineup are: 

(Local) Angqasa, Aris Huzaimi, BA’AH, Chia Cheng Kok, John Long, Kok Siew-Wai, Lee Si Yuan, Loke Xiaoyun, MAB 189, Naean, Reverse Image, Slaughter Table, Yii Kah Hoe and Yong Yandsen. 

(International) Black Zenith (AU/US), Brian O’Reilly (US), Christoven Tan (SG), Lore of Ghosts (AU/US) and Yuji Ishihara (JP).