Edge of Obedience

Ahmad Zakii Anwar may well be Malaysias best-known artist. He became famous for his photo-realistic animal pictures, still life paintings and expressive portraits, which offer a timeless interpretation of modern Asian society. This documentary looks at the way Zakiis art continues to defy convention in an increasingly radical Islamic world. Ahmad Zakii Anwars paintings of naked male bodies are both provocative and fascinating, especially in a country like Malaysia, where Islamic Sharia law prevails. It is a society that regards nakedness and even being different as taboo. Ahmad Zakii Anwar, is one of Malaysias most sought-after artists in Western countries. This documentary by director and producer Jin-Theng Craven (Being and Becoming Chua Ek Kay) is the first to look at the painter and his work in detail and examine its meaning in both a radicalising society and a liberal one.