KUALA LUMPUR: Film director Tunku Mona Riza of Redha has a new, poignant family drama set in Peninsular Malaysia's "rain town" Taiping.
Aptly titled Rain Town, this Cantonese-dialect film enlightens viewers of the past practice of "rain-betting" where Taiping folk gambled over when the downpour of the day would begin.
"It's a heartwarming story about Mr Choo, his Eurasian wife and their three children. The father has plans for his children's future, but his sons have dreams of their own which he does not approve of," said Tunku Mona.
"The Choo family goes through a lot of challenges which emerge as frequently as the thunderstorms over their hometown."
Rain Town features a popular cast including Chew Kin Wah, Susan Lankester, Fabian Loo, Wilson Lee and Pauline Tan.
It will debut in Malaysian cinemas on Feb 8 next year in conjunction with Chinese New Year.
Tunku Mona said that Rain Town, the latest film of her company Current Pictures Sdn Bhd would have its world premiere at the 10th Silk Road International Film Festival (SRIFF) in Fuzhou, China from tomorrow until Sept 27.
Producer Ku Mohamad Haris Ku Sulong summed up Rain Town as a touching story of a family of five from Taiping who faced numerous challenges as well as a tragedy.
He said: "This family story has a light-hearted approach that balances poignancy and vulnerability and sees the talented ensemble cast take on their roles with organic rhythm."
Tunku Mona said the film carried the message of multi-racial harmony and paid tribute to the country's numerous unsung heroes in everyday life.
"My hope for this film is to have it viewed by Malaysians of all races and backgrounds, for them to appreciate cross-cultural stories that truly reflect what Bangsa Malaysia is all about."
SRIFF is part of China's Silk Road Film Bridge Project and aims to promote cultural exchange amongst Asian filmmakers.
Current Pictures was founded by Tunku Mona in 1999 and produces telemovies, films and advertisements. Its best known film is Redha which entered the Oscars and Golden Globes in 2016.