Nam Ron

Born in Perlis, Malaysia's smallest state, Nam Ron ("hot water" in Thai) is the stage name of Shahili Bin Abdan. A trained automechanic, and graduate of Kuala Lumpur's National Arts Academy, he has worked in theater, television and film as a director, writer and actor. His independent feature films Gedebe (2003) and the never-released Gadoh (2009) explore the underground music scene and the taboo subject of racism in Malaysian schools. His first commercial feature was serial killer thriller Psiko: Thief of Hearts (2013). His ground-breaking, multi-cultural Crossroads: One Two Jaga, focuses on police corruption and systemic racism in contemporary Malaysia.

New York Asian Film Festival