Screenwriters and social media users are expressing their outrage upon finding out that two local films, Jagat and Ola Bola did not qualify for Filem Terbaik FFM28 (Best Film) by the Malaysia Film Festival. However, they were nominated for Best Film under Filem Terbaik Bukan Dalam Bahasa Malaysia (Best Film Not In Bahasa Malaysia).
Members of the Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Screenwriters Association are questioning why need a category that segregates the film by language, when they are all Malaysian films.
“Why must the Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) and Film Producers Association Malaysia (PFM) create a racist category like ‘Non-Bahasa Melayu Films’?” Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Screenwriters Association (Penulis) Alfian Palermo said in a statement.
“How are Finas and PFM instilling unity in Malaysian cinema? Where is the 1Malaysia advocated by the government? This is Festival Film Malaysia, not Festival Filem Melayu,” he added.
Jagat and Ola Bola are two of the most well-received films in Malaysia last year, and it doesn’t make sense to disqualify them from the Best Film category.
[UPDATE]
The Communications and Multimedia Minister has confirmed that the Best Film category at the 28th Malaysia Film Festival (FMM) in September is open to all Malaysian films. He also said they have created a new category, Best Film in the National Language, and FINAS has agreed to this.
Looks like there’s hope after all!
Here is the full list of nominations:
Best Film:
Nota
Polis Evo
Munafik
Jejak Warrior
Mat Moto – Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit
Best Non-Bahasa Melayu Film:
Ola Bola
Maravan
Jagat
Huat the Fish
The Kid from The Big Apple
Best Director:
Ghaz Abu Bakar –Polis Evo
Saw Teong Hin –Jejak Warriors
Shamyl Othman –Rembat
Syamsul Yusof –Munafik
Wan Hasliza Wan Zainuddin –Love Supermoon
Best Director (of a non-Bahasa Malaysia film):
Chiu Keng Guan –Ola Bola
Jess Teong –The Kid from the Big Apple
Puvarendran Selvaraja –Maravan
Shanjhey Kumar Perumal –Jagat
Yee Kwan Huan & Silver –Huat the Fish
Best New Director:
Feroz Kader -Suamiku Encik Perfect
Pekin Ibrahim -Mat Moto – Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit
Shanjey Kumar Perumal -Jagat
Jess Teong -The Kid from The Big Apple
Daven Raghavan -CCTV
Best Actress:
Lisa Surihani -Suamiku Encik Perfect
Maya Karin -Nota
Maya Karin -Jwanita
Nabila Huda -Munafik
Nadiya Nisaa -Love Supermoon
Best New Actress:
Falisha Crosley -Mat Moto – Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit
Marianne Tan -Ola Bola
Nur Risteena -Girlfriend Kontrak
Raja Ilya -Suamiku Encik Perfect
Zara Zya -Rembat
Best Actor:
Aaron Aziz -Suamiku Encik Perfect
Aniu -Rembat
Pekin Ibrahim -Mat Moto – Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit
Shahiezy Sam -Polis Evo
Zizan Razak -Polis Evo
Best New Actor:
Adam Shahz -Juvana 2 – Terperangkap Dalam Kebebasan
Che Amar -Chowrasta
Keith Foo -Girlfriend Kontrak
Mas Khan -Biasan
Saran Kumar -Ola Bola
Best Supporting Actress:
Adeline Tsen Gamatisme
Aminah Rhapor Chowrasta
Anne Ngasri -Love Supermoon
Christina Suzanne -Jwanita
Fauziah Ahmad Daud -Langit Cinta
Best Supporting Actor:
Ramli Hassan -Nota
Azad Jazmin -Girlfriend Kontrak
Hasnul Rahmat -Juvana 2 – Terperangkap Dalam Kebebasan
Hushairi Husain -Polis Evo
Sri Balasubramaniam -Ola Bola
Best Child Actor:
Aliff Firdaus -Jejak Warriors
Harvind Raj -Jagat
Ryqal Iskandar -Cicakman 3
Sivantharan Nambiar -Ola Bola
Tan Qin Lin -The Kid from the Big Apple
Best Original Screenplay:
Ola Bola
Rempat
Mat Moto – Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit
Jagat
The Kid from the Big Apple
Best Screenplay:
Nota
Suamiku Encik Perfect
Polis Evo
Mat Moto – Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit
Love Supermoon
Best Screenplay (of a non-Bahasa Malaysia film):
Ola Bola
The Kid from the Big Apple
Huat The Fish
Maravan
Jagat
Best Cinematography:
Polis Evo
Bravo 5
Munafik
Mat Moto – Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit; and
Jagat
Best Editing:
Ola Bola
Jagat
The Kid From the Big Apple
Polis Evo
Munafik
Best Art Direction:
Jagat
Bravo 5
Ola Bola
Huat the Fish
The Kid From the Big Apple
Best Direction Sound:
Rembat
Polis Evo
Munafik
Mat Moto – Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit
Villa Nabila
Best Sound Effect:
Kapsul
Ola Bola
Munafik
Cicakman 3
The Noise
Best Costume:
Ola Bola
Cicakman 3
Bravo 5
The Kid From the Big Apple
Polis Evo
Best Original Score:
Chowrasta
Jwanita
Pilot Cafe
Ola Bola
Munafik
Best Original Theme Song:
Nur Zaidi Abd Rahman – Langit Cinta (Dayang Nurfaizah)
Syamsul Yusof – Kalah Dalam Menang (Syamsul Yusof & Mawi)
Edry Abdul Halim – Adiwira (Zizan Razak & KRU)
Nur Zaidi Abd Rahman – Untuk Cinta (Dayang Nurfaizah)
Zee Avi & Rendrsa Zawawi – Arena Cahaya (Zee Avi)
