PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s first live-action animated film, Upin & Ipin Jeng, Jeng, Jeng!, is set for release in Singapore and Brunei cinemas.
Here, the film will premiere in Nov 24.
“We have secured rights to release it in the two countries. At the moment, we’re still trying to push for a similar release date as in Malaysia,” said KRU Group executive president Datuk Norman Abdul Halim at the film’s gala premiere held at e-Curve, Mutiara Damansara, last night.
“We also have plans to distribute it to Indonesian cinemas, (we are) looking at a December release. However, it hasn’t been finalised yet.”
The family film is a collaborative project between two of the country’s studio giants, Les’ Copaque and KRU Studios, at a price tag of RM4 million.
He added that the two studios have also agreed to distribute the film to 32 countries in the Middle East.
Norman will also market the film at the American Film Market and Conferences, which will take place from Nov 2 to 9 in Los Angeles, California.
In order to reach a wider global audience, the film will also be dubbed in English.
Jeng, Jeng, Jeng! is Les’ Copaque’s second film production under the popular Upin & Ipin franchise, following the release of Geng: Pengembaraan Bermula in 2009. The latter was also distributed in India.
“We hope we are able to have Jeng, Jeng, Jeng! screened in more locations.
“The challenge is to get a theatrical release as opposed to video-on-demand or television release.
“We would need a bigger provision to market it but for now we’re lucky that we have Primeworks Distribution as our distributor.
“Based on the major success of the highest-grossing animated local movie BoBoiBoy The Movie, which it also distributed earlier this year, I believe that Jeng, Jeng, Jeng! has good prospects.”
Directed by Ainon Ariff and Erma Fatima, it revolves around Aqish, a little girl who loves Upin & Ipin so much that she imagines them to be real.
Starring in the movie are Puteri Balqis Azizi, Awie, Sara Ali, Remy Ishak and Gambit Saifullah.
The original voice actor for Upin and Ipin, Asyiela Putri Azhar, plays the iconic twins again.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi officiated the gala premiere, which was also attended by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh and Deputy Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.