It’s stiff competition ahead for the main nominees of the 28th Malaysian Film Festival, writes Dennis Chua
NOT many Malaysians remember director Jess Teong’s singing career in the 1990s. Back then she appeared in a Chinese New Year advertisement alongside veteran singer Eric Moo, as well as in a host of entertainment and variety shows.
Teong, 51, from Kulim, Kedah, is one of the front-runners for Best New Director at the 28th Malaysian Film Festival (FFM 28). Her movie, The Kid From The Big Apple, is also up for Best Film and its main actress Tan Qin Lin, for Best Child Actor.
FAMILY VALUES
“The Kid From The Big Apple. my directorial debut, garnered nine nominations. I’m touched by the positive feedback I got about this movie which was on family values,” says Teong at Park Royal Hotel in Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
“It was a joy to direct Qin Lin and her young neighbours. They are fast learners and turned out to be naturals. They picked up Mandarin fast and were full of ideas on how to develop their characters,” says Teong, who based the movie on her own experience living overseas when she made a living as a businesswoman the last decade.
Teong describes the movie as a heartwarming tale on filial piety and the need for grandparents and grandchildren to communicate with each other.
“Both Qin Lin and Hong Kong screen legend Tik Lung had a great time working together. They were the people I needed to play the title character and her Malaysian grandfather.
“I first met Tik Lung in Hong Kong when the movie Paper Moon, which I produced, entered the Asia Pacific Film Festival 2012. I invited him to star in a new Malaysian movie, and he said yes and gave me lots of ideas on how to develop his character.”
Teong describes Tik Lung as a gentleman with a sense of humour. “He is no stranger to Malaysia as his wife has visited Kuala Lumpur several times. He also starred in a movie which was partly filmed here 30 years ago.”
SOCIAL CRITIQUE THROUGH FILM
Director Shanjhey Kumar Perumal’s Tamil movie Jagat is also one of the nine nominees for Best Film.The film entered the New York Asia Film Festival last June.
“I filmed this movie last year and it’s my debut, a semi-autobiographical story. While its focus is how an impoverished schoolboy, as played by Harvind Raj, is influenced into becoming a gangster, the film actually critiques Malaysian society,” he says.
Shanjhey, who hopes Harvind will win Best Child Actor, adds that Jagat criticises Malaysian society for tolerating abuses — of power, the environment and children. “The end result of this abuse is that our children do not grow up in an environment which is conducive for their spiritual and intellectual growth.”
Maravan director S. Puvanendran is also a first-time filmmaker. His Tamil movie is up for Best Film and it exposes the evil world of child trafficking.
“Our hero, Kumaresh, wants to get rich quick. He quits his rubber-tapping job and becomes a lorry driver distributing smuggled goods, and little does he know that he is part of a child trafficking syndicate. He learns the hard way when his wife and children become victims,” says Puvanendran.
Maravan entered the International Open Film Festival 2016 in Dhaka and the Hong Kong World International Film Festival 2016.
FIRST OF ITS KIND
Polis Evo director Ghaz Abu Bakar says fans love his movie because of its “out-of-the-ordinary” story set in Kuala Terengganu.
“Polis Evo is a first of its kind, and is about two police officers from the east and west coast who despite their differences, are equally dedicated crime fighters.”
Ghaz adds: “A lot of the film’s success is the result of the meticulous and hardworking lead actors Shaheizy Sam and Zizan Razak. They were a great team and helped create lots of action-packed, yet hilarious situations.”
Pekin Ibrahim, who is also marking his directorial debut, garnered eight nominations for his road trip movie Mat Moto — Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit.
“I love telling stories that are close to my heart, and Mat Moto is about a friend and his motorcycle diaries. The movie also wants to convey that not all motorcycle lovers are illegal racers. Most are law-abiding people.”
He says the movie is dedicated to an old friend, actor and movie publicist Azwan Annuar, who died last year.
“My next project KL Wangan is also about men who love car racing in the city. It’s a bit like Fast And Furious, Malaysian-style,” he says.
Rembat director Shamyl Othman, who is up for Best Director, describes his movie as a celebration of Malaysian unity with sports as the backdrop.
“Shaheizy Sam and Aniu play strangers who are stuck with each other through circumstance. They learn to work together for survival and realise that as Malaysians, they are not much different from each other in terms of the problems they face and the dreams they aspire to achieve.”
STIFF COMPETITION
Rykarl Iskandar, 11, the reigning Best Child Actor, admits that he is facing tough competition. “I love competition, because it will make me a better actor. It’s great to know the new talents in the running, I like Jagat’s Harvind, The Kid From The Big Apple’s Qin Lin and Ola Bola’s Shivatharan Nambiar.”
Rykarl is studying for his Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah examination this year, his seventh year in show business. His ambition is to become a producer and director.
One-time child star Anne Ngasri is up for Best Supporting Actress for the romantic comedy Love Supermoon.
“My character is a playful but street-smart best friend to the heroine Nadiya Nisaa. Competition is stiff and Fauziah Ahmad Daud (Langit Cinta), Aminah Rhapor (Chowrasta) and Christina Suzanne Stockstill (Jwanita) are my main challengers. They were brilliant.”
Now a producer, Anne’s next project is the 13-episode drama series Bomba on RTM, starring Tiz Zaqyah and Sharnaaz Ahmad.
Raya Ilya, who played the villainess in the romantic comedy Suamiku Encik Perfect 10, is delighted to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress.
“While I’m often cast as bad girls in dramas and comedies, I like it because being bad sells! Actually, I started as the heroine of Afdlin Shauki’s Appalam, the Tamil version of Papadom,” she says.
“My next movie Soul Mate, at year’s end, is my first team-up with Taufik Batisah, and I’m back to being a heroine. The director is Datuk A. Razak Mohaideen.”
Pekin’s Mat Moto co-star Falisha Crossley is up for Best New Actress. She says: “I’m honoured to play a tomboy for the first time. My character is outgoing, strong and helps the protagonist Pekin complete his road trip around the country.”
Another Best New Actress nominee is Marianne Tan of Ola Bola. She says: “It’s my first big screen role, and as a reporter also called Marianne, I am the link between the present generation and the great footballers of the past. Ola Bola is an inspiring story which reminds us of a chapter in history where the Malaysia Boleh and 1Malaysia spirit took us far in sports.”
Astro Shaw head Najwa Abu Bakar says Ola Bola is the company’s highest nominated entry to date in the annual FFM. “While it’s a story about the national football team’s heyday, it also humanises the players and shows their daily struggles and relationships with their families.”
TOP NOMINATIONS
Ola Bola and Polis Evo, both productions of Astro Shaw, are the most nominated films of FFM 28, to be held at the Malaysian Film Development Corporation (Finas) and the KL Convention Centre from Sept 1 to 3.
Ola Bola leads the pack of 43 feature films, short films, animated films and documentaries in the running for 25 award categories.
It received 14 nominations. Polis Evo comes a close second with 10 nominations.
FFM 28, organised by Finas in cooperation with the Malaysian Film Producers’ Association (PFM), follows the theme of Transformasi Sinema Kita (Our Cinematic Transformation).
Ten awards were presented yesterday at Finas. The other 17 awards will be presented tomorrow at 8pm in the KL Convention Centre at Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
The second day will see four special awards: Behind-The-Scenes Production, Lifetime Achievement, Special Jury and Box Office Film.
Meanwhile, Finas director-general Datuk Kamil Othman says new categories for films not screened in cinemas will be created in the future and these will cater to direct-to-video films and films screened outdoors.
STAR POWER AND DAZZLING PERFORMANCES
Comedians and TV personalities Nabil Ahmad and Sherry Al-Hadad will co-host FFM 28 tomorrow.
The awards will be presented by Fauziah Ahmad Daud, Tam Suhaimi, Khir Rahman, Aziz M. Osman, Dr Mahadi J. Murat, Tunku Mona Riza, Mamat Khalid, Shaheizy Sam, Maya Karin and Ghaz Abu Bakar.
Expect performances by Back To Basixx, Ernie Zakri, Dewi Liana Seriestha, Azlan Roslee, Aizat Amdan, Tomok, Maman, Man Bai, Jaclyn Victor, Dayang Nurfaizah and Bunkface.
Visit www.facebook.com/Festival-Filem-Malaysia for details.
The 28th Malaysian Film Festival will be aired live tomorrow on Astro Ria (Channel 104) and Ria HD (Channel 123) at 9pm.