KUALA LUMPUR: Versatile, award-winning actor Bront Palarae loves his second movie about an adventure in Sarawak as it explores a less known legend of Borneo.
In Sumpahan Jerunei, his latest movie which opens on July 27, Bront plays Dr Sani, an archaeologist who looks for his missing wife in the jungles of Mukah Division and is haunted by spirits from a Jerunei or traditional Melanau burial pole.
"Dr Sani is an upright man who is also very human," said Bront at the press preview of Sumpahan Jerunei in Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) Mid Valley Megamall on Tuesday.
Bront's first movie set in Sarawak was screened last year.
In Rajah, also known as Edge Of The World, the 44-year-old actor played Sarawak's legendary White Rajah Sir James Brooke's arch enemy, 19th century-Brunei prince Pengiran Indera Mahkota.
Sumpahan Jerunei, directed by Jason Chong and co-produced by Datin Dr Wendy Wong and Datuk Nancie Foo of Produksi Seni 2020, presents a glimpse into the ancient history and culture of the Melanau ethnic group.
Foo and Wong took six years to complete the RM5-million film as it involved in-depth research into the history and customs of the Melanaus and they were assisted by the Sarawak Council for Native Customs and Traditions, the Sarawak Museum, the Kuching Melanau Association and the Sarawak Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry.
Sumpahan Jerunei was filmed over 45 days in 2019, in Kuching and Mukah and tells the story of Dr Sani's expedition to look for his missing wife.
He is joined by a group of young heritage conservationists Bee, Hana, Tommy and Arjuna who want to find the last known Jerunei in Sarawak.
Along the way, they are haunted by the spirits of people who were sacrificed and buried underneath the Jerunei, and encounter several terrifying and gruesome experiences.
Sumpahan Jerunei also stars Uqasha Senrose, Amerul Affendi, Syafie Naswip, Daiyan Trisha, Tony Eusoff, Ruminah Sidek and Yuyun Hikmah.