The Asian Film Festival is a huge deal for a lot of filmmakers. Both amateur and seasoned production companies have submitted their best work and one of our locally-made movies managed to win big during the festival’s award ceremony!
Despite not making its local debut in Malaysia, it was announced that “Maryam Pagi ke Malam” starring the versatile Datin Sofia Jane has won 2 awards at the 21st Asian Film Festival; Most Original Film and Best Actress! Here’s what the cast and crew had to say about the global recognition:
The official Asian Film Festival Instagram page posted a video of director Badrul Hisham Ismail’s acceptance speech after the announcement was made. “We couldn’t have a wide release of the film here for obvious reasons. So, it’s really encouraging to be recognised and celebrated elsewhere,” he said while also mentioning that he was flattered and honoured to have received the award for his hard work.
The same IG page also posted Datin Sofia Jane’s acceptance speech after bagging the Best Actress award. “First and foremost I would like to say thank you to the Asian Film Festival for showcasing our movie and to the juries for the surprise honour. I’m truly, truly grateful,” said the 52-year-old star.
She also took to her own IG page to thank everyone involved in the production as their passion, determination and perseverance have finally paid off. Fans and celebrity friends congratulated the actress and production on their big win.
In case you’re not unaware, the movie is about a 50-year-old gallery owner from an aristocratic family, who is seeking blessings from her father to marry her young foreign boyfriend, while also trying to overcome challenges from Sharia bureaucracy. It was previously reported that the 90-minute movie was deemed too controversial to be screened in Malaysia as it tackles sensitive issues such as feminism, xenophobia, sexual orientation, class struggle, the monarchy, and racism.
If “Maryam Pagi ke Malam” were to make its debut on local screens, then it would have to go through censorship. With that in mind, it’s unlikely that the production team would want their content to be heavily filtered. Whatever the case, we’d like to congratulate the director, the cast and everyone involved in the movie on their latest achievements!
Badrul Hisham Ismail’s acceptance speech:
Sofia Jane’s acceptance speech:
The movie trailer:
Sources: Instagram (1)(2), MerdekaTimes, MalayMail
