KUALA LUMPUR: She may be only 11 but fans of her big screen debut believe she will go far as an actress, as acting is "in her genes".
Qisya Hairulzain is the star of magiK, Malaysia's latest heartwarming film that focuses on family, environment and the hearing-impaired.
The niece of veteran actress Haliza Misbun and daughter of actress Amanda Misbun, she plays the deaf heroine Kit in Yasu Tanaka's latest film which opens in cinemas next Thursday.
"It has been a great 20-day experience playing Kit, who has the special gift of communicating with fireflies.
"She lives with her parents in Kampung Kuantan, Kuala Selangor where her father is a boatman ferrying tourists who come to see the village's fireflies," said Qisya, the eldest of three siblings at the press preview of magiK in TGV Cinema, Pavilion Bukit Jalil here recently.
Qisya learnt sign language from the film's producer and Tanaka's wife Bea, who used to teach deaf students.
"Throughout the three weeks on the set in March, I acquired a great new skill which I plan to put to good use later. It is great to work with Mr and Mrs Tanaka, they are such wonderful people," said Qisya who has starred in two television dramas Abang Muazzin and Nenda over the last two years.
Qisya, who admires former child stars Puteri Balqis Azizi, Yuyun Hikmah, Sweet Qismina, Amelia Henderson, Erin Malek, Fatin Afeefa, Aedy Ashraf and Afieq Shazwan believes in progressing "step by step" in her career.
The student of Sekolah Menengah Taman Bukit Indah, Ampang, Selangor wants to complete her studies up to university level, too, as it is always good to be an educated film star.
"I want to take on roles that are realistic and challenging, but I believe in moving up slowly, for what is most important now is my studies."
Tanaka, who auditioned Qisya in Kuala Selangor, described her as his "best new discovery" in acting.
"Qisya is a natural actress who is very expressive. She learns fast and is keen on doing new things. Her work ethic is superb and she is very focused," he said.
magiK tells the story of Kit whose gift of communicating with fireflies helps her parents and fellow villagers thwart plans by a developer to create a modern tourism project in Kampung Kuantan which could disrupt the fireflies' natural habitat.
The two-hour film, which is supported by the National Film Development Corporation (Finas) and the Malaysian Federation of the Deaf, also stars Beto Kusyairy, Nadia Aqilah, Namron, Roy Azman, Ruminah Sidek, Chacko Vadaketh and Datuk Zainalabidin.