Redha has been chosen to represent Malaysia in next year’s Academy Awards.
The Malay movie was handpicked by Finas’ film festival committee to compete with more than 80 other foreign movies in the Best Foreign Language Film category. The Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences will then shortlist potential movies in October and proceed to announce the final 5 nominees on 24th January 2017.
“Redha” tells the tale of Danial (as played by Harith Haziq), a 6-year-old boy with autism, and the challenges faced by his family in raising him. Unfortunately, the film, which was directed by Tunku Mona Riza, did not perform well at the box office, as according to Finas, they only raked in RM498,000.
However, it was praised by critics and moviegoers. The movie also bagged the Best Female Actress (June Lojong) and the Special Jury Prize at the World International Premieres Film Festival 2016 at Manila, Philippines; the Merit Award at the Los Angeles Awareness Film Festival in America; Special Prize, nominated by the President of Tatarstan Republic, for Humanism in Cinematography; Special Prize of the Russian Guild of Cinema Critics; and Best Actor in the Full Length Feature Film (Nam Ron, Harith, and Izzy Reef) at the 12th Kazan International Muslim Film Festival 2016.
“Redha” is the 4th film that has been chosen by Finas for a place in the Oscars. Previous Best Foreign Language Film hopefuls include “Puteri Gunung Ledang” (2005), “Bunohan” (2013), and “Lelaki Harapan Dunia” (2015).
Will “Redha” be the first Malaysian movie to snag an Oscars? Guess we just gotta wait for 26th February 2017 (the day when the 89th Academy Awards are held) to know.
Sources: Cinema Online, Free Malaysia Today, Star2.
