KUALA LUMPUR: ONE FC MMA fighter Ann Osman is set to star in an exciting film that blends elements from the action, supernatural, and noir genres.
The unique motion picture, titled Best Served Cold, is a co-production between Malaysian company, Siung Film Productions, and its Singaporean counterpart, 108 Media.
Adapted from the short story, Don’t Eat The Rice by author Jill Girardi, the film will feature a screenplay by Aaron Cowan, who will also co-direct with Sabahan Jo Luping.
Set in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Best Served Cold revolves around an ex-MMA fighter-turned-private detective, Suzanna Sim, who uses her fists, and knowledge of Southeast Asian black magic while working with a toyol, to find a rich new client’s missing husband.
Of her role in the upcoming movie, the 33-year-old Ann, a.k.a. Athena, said: “I’m thrilled to be part of a film based on Sabahan folklore and I'm such a big fan of the mystery and action genre. It’s exciting that the film will be shot in my hometown of Sabah and I’m looking forward to working with Aaron and Jo as well as our new studio partners from Singapore.”
An agreement between the two production companies was signed recently at the Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) and ScreenSingapore 2019 event in the Lion City.
Present at the signing were National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) chairman Datuk Hans Isaac, together with 108 Media's Abhi Rastogi and Justin Deimen, as well as Siung Films' Cowan and Luping.
Hans said: "Both Malaysia and Singapore are excited about this effort as we are planning for the Malaysia-Singapore Treaty discussion starting in January. Finas encourages and welcomes co-production treaties with not just Singapore but other countries as well to establish closer relationships that eases buying, distribution, content creating and collaborations between countries, which will provide growth opportunities for the industry."
Luping added: “We are thankful for the assistance provided by Finas, Martrade and the Sabah Tourism Board at Mipcom in Cannes earlier this year and also at ATF in Singapore. Through their facilitation, we were successful in signing our co-production agreement with 108 Media.”
Writer and co-director Cowan has been a senior member of creative teams that have won Oscars, including Avatar and the Lord Of The Rings trilogy.
Co-director and producer, Luping, grew up with the stories of Borneo and Sabah and has worked on the Lord Of The Rings and award winning documentaries.
The two established Siung Films to tell the stories of the peoples of Borneo on the screen.
Also attached to the production is Base FX in Kuala Lumpur, which has worked on over 50 international feature films, including Aquaman, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Transformers: Age Of Extinction, Captain America: Winter Soldier, Pacific Rim, Star Trek Into Darkness and Looper.