The Malaysian film industry has had some brilliant releases over the past few years, featuring stellar writing, direction and acting. However, what makes these releases more incredible is that some of them were based on actual events!
From a heartwarming story based on a humble elementary school cricket team to the film inspired by a highly controversial case involving a high-profile politician, here are eight Malaysian-made films that were adapted from real stories:
“Gemencheh Boys”
The first film is ‘Gemencheh Boys”, a movie by Eric Ong and Jason Chong and is currently screening in local cinemas. The film tells the story of a local teacher from Gemencheh, Negeri Sembilan, who embarks upon a journey to change the lives of six young misfits through the sport of cricket. The movie has been getting rave reviews from film buffs ever since its release, with many praising the storyline and acting of the young stars.
“Ola Bola”
This football film by Chiu Keng Guan brings viewers back in time to tell the story of our national football team as they compete for a spot in the 1980 Summer Olympics. While the Malaysian contingent did end up boycotting the sports event for that year, “Ola Bola” still shows the dedication and hardship of our national sports team.
“Lee Chong Wei: Rise of the Legend”
When talking about the Malaysian sports scene, we can’t leave out the legend himself, Datuk Lee Chong Wei. This biopic by Teng Bee shares the life of our former national shuttler as he rises from a boy in poverty to one of the biggest names in badminton history. The film features dramatic fiction and real-life accounts from Lee Chong Wei’s 2012 autobiography, “Dare to Be a Champion”.
“Pulang”
Malaysia has a rich history – and a film highlighting a big part of our past is “Pulang” by director Kabir Bhatia. This tearjerker was inspired by the true story of the 1940s when Malaya was under the Japanese invasion. The movie received tons of positive reviews from both critics and audiences when it was released in 2018.
“Redha”
Another heart-wrenching Malay movie is ‘Redha”, which depicts the struggles faced by a married couple as they raise their autistic son. This piece by Tunku Mona Riza was even selected as the Malaysian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards.
“MALBATT: Misi Bakara”
Released this year, “MALBATT: Misi Bakara” is a Malaysian movie for those who love war movies. This Adrian Teh film shares the untold tale of the 19th Mechanised Royal Malay Soldier Regiment (RAMD) from the Malaysian Battalion (MALBATT) in their mission to rescue the American soldiers trapped in Bakara Market, Somalia, in the Black Hawk Down incident.
“PASKAL”
Adrian Teh has also directed another military flick, “PASKAL”, released in 2018. The film was inspired by the elite Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) force named PASKAL (Pasukan Khas Laut) in their mission to retrieve the Bunga Laurel ship from Somali pirates. The film had a budget of RM10 million, making it one of the most expensive Malaysian films ever made.
“Dukun”
Just the name Mona Fandey will send chills down a Malaysian’s spine. “Dukun” is a film by Dain Said and loosely based on the Malaysian singer-turned-witch doctor after her murder conviction in 1993. Despite being filmed in 2006, this movie didn’t get a green light to screen until 2018 because of the controversial nature of the film.
Some of these movies are now available on streaming sites like Sooka and Netflix – but have you ever seen any of these films? Were you surprised to learn that they were about real-life events?
Source: Lobak Merah
