Sunway Spotlight: Taking On the World, One Film At a Time: Malaysia’s New Gen Filmmakers

Now more than ever we need to talk to each other, to listen to each other and understand how we see the world, and cinema is the best medium for doing this.  

                                                                                                            -Martin Scorsese

Passion is one hell of a drug, as Julia Sam, Akram and Alvina would tell you. That, paired with blood, sweat, and tears oftentimes brings along captivating and innovative works of art. As they finish off their degrees with a flourish, they aim to create short films which serve as a vehicle for their emotions, thoughts and creativity. In short, their heart on a screen.

As part of the 12th Cohort of Sunway University’s Bachelor’s in Digital Film Production, the trio have decided to make “Girl Monster”, a project under the Creative Project module. They have made 3 different short films, set in a universe nearly identical to our own, with an added twist: ghosts, werewolves and supernatural beings roam freely, living side-by-side with humans. 

With that, let’s endeavour to dive into each of these director’s minds and thought processes. 

Directors:

Akram Ashraf, Director of JAGA

 Source: Akram Ashraf

  Julia Sam, Director of May

Source: Julia Sam

Alvina Ling, Director of Friends Like These

Source: Alvina Ling

Q: Tell us about yourself and what made you interested in filmmaking? 

Akram: Well, what made me interested in filmmaking is quite silly. When I was 9 or 10 years old I used to watch a lot of comedy skits on YouTube. YouTube back then was different. Skits really dominated the site and that was what made me interested in filmmaking.

Julia: Growing up, I was always watching movies. At home, it was either movies, the news, or animated shows for us kids. My dad really loved classic Hollywood films, so names like Tarantino, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and others were regulars in our living room. Back in Cambodia, we had free access to TV5 Monde, an international channel that didn’t cost us anything. They showed movies from the ’60s, mostly Truffaut films, though I didn’t know who those directors were at the time.

I grew up in Cambodia in the early 2000s, a period when the country was still rebuilding. We only had TV and pirated DVDs. The internet was in its infancy, and we needed USB sticks with SIM card slots to get a connection, which was very expensive. I felt quite isolated from the world, but TV connected me to it. I could understand English and French, so unlike the neighbourhood kids, I knew there was a world out there. I couldn’t wait to grow up, join that world, tell my stories, and be part of the conversation. Can you tell that I have delusions of grandeur? 

Alvina : I didn’t grow up with a background in filmmaking, but when I was 9 years old, I became addicted to the Hong Kong drama series Forensic Heroes. This sparked my interest in performing arts. However, I am more interested in creating movies that reflect my emotions and stories. I mostly watched Asian movies and drama series growing up and only started exploring different kinds of movies when I began my studies in film production.

Forensic Heroes, Hong Kong drama series

Q: What is the story behind each film? 

Akram: The story behind my film revolves around JAGA, or JABATAN ALAM GHAIB MALAYSIA, a new uniformed force. The narrative follows Jackie, the uncle of our protagonist, May, as he documents JAGA to understand their mission of maintaining the balance between the “human” and “supernatural” worlds. However, things take a turn when Jackie discovers that JAGA isn’t what they claim to be.

Julia: The short film *May* tells the story of a girl named May who turns into a “penanggal”. She decides to put a nail at the back of her neck to seal her monstrous side, allowing her to live as a human. The film explores her struggle of being caught between two worlds and her desire to fit into just one. This narrative mirrors my own experiences of never being French enough, Cambodian enough, or Chinese enough. I often felt abnormal because I couldn’t fully explain why I didn’t want to go to certain places or why I needed to make offerings to specific trees or locations. It’s ironic because while these supernatural beliefs are widely accepted, they’re also not considered normal. They exist between two realities: true for some, but non-existent for others.

Alvina: The story revolves around three friends: Sean, Ash, and Carmilla. In this trio, Sean is the only human, and he is in love with Ash, who is a werewolf. Throughout their friendship, Sean and Ash share a deep love for each other, but Sean struggles to balance his family obligations with his feelings for Ash.

Q: What made you start these films?

Julia: Simply put, I wanted to tell the story of the world I live in. In Southeast Asia, the supernatural coexists with the non-supernatural. On film sets in Thailand, Malaysia, or Indonesia, it’s common to see priests, bomohs, and others communicating with spirits. While I wouldn’t call myself one of them, I’ve experienced enough “abnormal” things to know that I don’t live like most people. I’m careful about many things, and I often sound crazy when I talk about them. I wanted to create a world where these things are “normal,” and that’s how *Girl Monster* was born.

In this world, supernatural beings from folklore coexist with humans. The “monsters” live in nature and the jungle, while humans stay in cities and villages. However, contact between these two worlds is inevitable, and *Girl Monster* explores what that kind of contact might look like.

Alvina: I’m very interested in studying the relationship between people, exploring the chemistry they create, and understanding the reasons they come together. So, I thought to myself, why not create a film on it, and that is exactly what I did.

Q: Did you take inspiration from any source material in particular? How did you come up with the concept?

Julia: I would say that my ideas are a patchwork of different concepts from various places and people. For the overall concept, I drew inspiration from previous penanggal/krasue/ahp films, such as Malaysia’s 2013 Penanggal, Thailand’s Inhuman Kiss and Cambodia’s old ahp films from my childhood. I also incorporated some elements from L’Enfant Sauvage by François Truffaut, D’Argento’s, Suspiria and Guadagnino’s, Suspiria. While our films won’t look exactly like those mentioned because I try to avoid copying or emulating them, these films definitely sparked a few wires in my head while preparing the story.

Alvina: I did take inspiration from the Chinese BL movie A Round Trip To Love (2016), which has two seasons. It portrays a pure love between two men who face trouble because their parents don’t approve of their relationship. One element from the movie that stood out to me was the ring confession scene, a common motif in many dramas and movies.

L’Enfant Sauvage, directed by François Truffaut

Q: Can you walk us through your pre-production process? How much was your budget and how much did it actually cost?

Julia: In general, when making a short film, we would start with a first draft of the script. Once the different departments are set, they begin working on their parts simultaneously. The camera and lights departments work on storyboards and shot lists, while the production design team focuses on props and wardrobes. There’s a need for discussion between departments to determine how to pull off certain shots and what is feasible within our budget for arts or equipment. Pre-production is all about preparing as much as possible so that when something goes wrong during production, we have contingencies in place. Murphy’s Law rules the film set: anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

Regarding the budget, all that I can tell you is that we had an angel investor. We also did some crowdfunding, and we are eternally grateful for every cent. However, I can’t deny that without our angel investor, we would not have been able to move forward.

Q: What camera and equipment did you use for the shoot? And why?

Julia: For my short film, May, we used the Sony Alpha 7SIII because of its amazing low-light capabilities. We had quite a lot of night shots, so this camera was ideal. We also considered post-production requirements, and the A7SIII’s 8-bit compression made it easier on the computers we had access to. While we did lose a bit of color depth compared to using cinemaline cameras, the difference wasn’t significant enough to warrant the upgrade.

Q: Can you walk us through a typical day on set?

Julia: Whatever the time is, the set would start a little bit slowly, and the pace would pick up a bit later. Every set needs to find its own rhythm because it’s always a different combination of people working together. For me, it’s important to have enough setup time for art and main lighting so that we can capture the master shot first. The master shot is a reference point for us and crucial for setting up the context of a scene. I like to take my time with it, which sometimes frustrates the crew. However, once the master shot is set, decisions about closer shots are already made, alleviating my workload. Everything else falls into place, and we can move forward smoothly.

Alvina: When we all arrive on set, each department kicks off their tasks. The art department starts setting up the camera, lights, and sound, while I ensure each team works at a pace that fits our shooting rhythm. Once everything is confirmed, I brief the actors on the scene and the shots we will be doing. After everyone is prepared, shooting begins. During filming, we have discussions with each department to fine-tune details and achieve the desired shots. We follow the call sheet for breaks and meals. When we move to the next location, our tasks are clearly delegated, and we proceed efficiently.

Camera Set-up, Source: Emily

Q: How was coordinating the team, who was your backbone throughout, and how did you find everyone?

Akram: The strongest backbone of any of the sets is definitely the art team. Sometimes, people really take the art teams for granted, but they essentially create the atmosphere and character of the film. The producers were also crucial, as they communicated with actors, locations, and the crew. As a director, my job was to focus on the film itself, and I couldn’t have done it without my art team, producers, and everyone else who helped.

Julia: The 1st AD (assistant director) is the one coordinating the set, managing communication with actors and the crew, and ensuring everything runs smoothly. We worked mostly with our juniors from the same film program at SOA. Our juniors from BDFP were instrumental in making this happen. The film program is pretty small, and because we always need help on set, everyone helps each other whenever they can. When my juniors are doing their final year projects, if I’m in Malaysia, I won’t hesitate to come and help them, even as a PA.

Alvina: I think I coordinated with my teammates smoothly during pre-production, but we faced some difficulties during production. I didn’t have a clear direction for the art department, especially for a scene in the car, which became the most challenging and problematic part. We fell behind schedule by a few hours and had to have a quick meeting during the shoot to cut down the shots. 

For the art department, the most complicated parts were the fake cigarettes and weeds. The backbone of the production was definitely the entire team. They did their parts well, allowing me to focus on directing. Most of the teammates were from our classes, while some were seniors I had worked with before, and others were juniors that my AD and producer helped find.

Q: What were the challenges and easy things that you faced throughout this journey?

Julia: Time is always a problem in a creative project, especially in an institution where we have deadlines to meet for grading. That was our biggest challenge. Time constraints were also an issue on set. The longer a shoot takes, the more tired the crew and actors become. Yet, if we haven’t gotten the shot, we need to push through. It’s not easy when you don’t have the budget to buy more time. I’m really grateful to my team for being patient with me despite these challenges.

Alvina: The biggest challenge for me was directing itself, especially since this was my first time directing a film through production. On the first day of directing, I felt really overwhelmed because I didn’t convey many of my thoughts about the film’s characters to the actors. Fortunately, the next production day was 10 days later, giving me time to sort out my emotions and better communicate with my actors about how to embody their characters.

Q: What messages do you hope to convey through your films?

Akram: I don’t have a specific message to convey; I want viewers to watch my films and form their own opinions.

Julia: Ultimately, I want May to embrace both her sides and get the best of both worlds, like Hannah Montana.

Alvina: I hope people can understand who they love, how they love, and how to balance their love between their family and the person they care about. The one who truly cares about you will not only show their love through actions but also express it verbally, as Ash does in the film.

Q: What are your future plans?

Akram: My future plans are to create a lot of car videos and music videos. I was extremely euphoric about a music video collaboration I did at the end of 2023 and earlier in 2024, and I really enjoy the creative process involved in making music videos. They allow you to play with many concepts that can rival making short films. I also plan to make a short film down the line. There’s a script I’ve been developing, but I’m not ready to make it yet.

Julia: I have no idea. I’m rather conflicted. I might start working in the industry or continue my studies and become a professor like my dad. I don’t know if I’m good enough to keep making films. Our lecturers always encourage us to make things and keep creating. The projects I want to make require quite a bit of money, so I think I need to experiment more, maybe go through a Chris Marker phase where I work with stills and sounds only. I put a lot of weight on what I think a “filmmaker” should be. Despite being one of the oldest in my class, I don’t think I’ve lived or developed my message and stories enough to make something strong enough to share with the world.

Alvina: I plan to continue understanding more about philosophy, human intentions, society, and political matters, and to turn my doubts and understanding into films.

Q: What are your thoughts about the Malaysian film scene?

Julia: We learn a lot about the filmmakers who came before us in class, and there are many “New Malaysian Waves” and movements touted as the next big thing. However, I think this “new wave” concept has become more of a marketing strategy than an actual movement. For a national film movement to exist, there needs to be cohesiveness and a common denominator that brings different artists together to tell something bigger. Currently, the film industry in Malaysia, whether arthouse or commercial, is still too fragmented. Everyone is doing their own thing, which is great, but the arthouse section of the industry is still in its infancy. People need more time to experiment and explore how they want to make films.

The French had films since the 1800s, while Malaysians only started in the 1930s, and Cambodia in the 1950s. The “West” had films before TV, whereas we had film and TV simultaneously. This may be why it’s challenging to create a cinematic language that feels distinctly “Malaysian” or “Cambodian.” There needs to be more spaces and platforms that showcase and support filmmakers so they can experiment and share their ideas with a wider audience.

Making money is important, and I love making money, but it shouldn’t be the primary concern. We should be able to create without constantly worrying about finances. There needs to be a better ecosystem for the arts in Malaysia. While government policies are a good starting point, the attitudes of people and practitioners towards the art scene and its ecosystem need to change as well.

Q: Who are your biggest influencers as a filmmaker?

Akram: At this point in my life, I consume a lot of African-American music and films. I’ve been following the works of Donald Glover (also known as Childish Gambino) and Kendrick Lamar for ages. Recently, I’ve also begun appreciating Spike Lee films more, as they address subject matters relevant to their communities. These subjects are also prominent in a Malaysian setting, though some may argue not to such an “extreme” extent. However, contextualizing is important.

Julia: David Lynch, Ingmar Bergman, Agnes Varda, Akira Kurosawa and Hayao Miyazaki are some of my favourite filmmakers. Unfortunately, I have conflicted feelings about Quentin Tarantino. He’s a genius, but I think I watched Death Proof when I was way too young. I also love horror, so masters like Dario D’Argento, Takeshi Miike, and John Carpenter are also my favourites. B-Movies are my favourites. I’m a bit of a basket case, not gonna lie.

                                           Death Proof, directed by Quentin Tarantino

Alvina: Roberto Benigni, an Italian actor and film director, portrays critical topics in a comedic way, giving his films a unique style. His sincerity shines through not just in his stories but also in his characters. He knows himself well and understands what he wants, so even though he both directs and acts, he remains very honest in his pursuits.

Q: Can you share any funny or interesting stories from the set?

Akram: One of the most interesting stories from the set is how one of the actors was really keen on having fake blood put on their face. It took me off guard because many people are quite uncomfortable with that. Having someone openly wanting blood on them was definitely an interesting experience.

Fake Blood, Source: Akram

Julia: My sets are rather fun, but I can’t pinpoint a specific memory that particularly stands out. I’m just happy that I can pace the set in a way where the crew has time to fool around. We have very funny behind-the-scenes photos.

Alvina: I like it when the actors are deeply immersed in their characters and the story. When they are very concentrated on the relationships they are portraying, it feels real to us. Sometimes, the crew notices how the actors use a comedic approach in the BL scenes to make their performances fit into the story. This often leads to a lot of laughter on set, which I find quite funny and enjoyable.

 Behind the scenes of Friends Like These, Source: Alvina

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring filmmakers?

Akram: Always create to express, never create to impress. If you have this mindset, you’ll hopefully find success. Also, experiment with different styles to find your niche and unique style of filmmaking.

Julia: Making short films is completely different from making a movie. You will never have enough runtime to explain, so the visual cues are crucial. Aim to create a mood and a feeling instead of telling a story, because if you can pull off the mood and feelings, you will automatically tell the story. 

Q: What is your dream project or collaboration?

Akram: My dream collaboration is to collaborate with Mshaffuan. He is a local filmmaker and he is very popular on social media. The first time I saw his work was his Glimpse of Us video back in 2021, and I definitely would like to work with him even just by being an Assistant Director, co-writer or even co-director. I think it’ll be cool to collaborate with him and borrow some of his directions to make a film.

Screencap of Glimpse of Us by Mshaffuan

Julia: I want to be a PA (Personal Assistant) for David Lynch or Alejandro Jodorowsky. I need to witness their insanity before they die. I also would love to get a tarot card reading from Jodorowsky. 

Q: How do you handle criticism and feedback?

Akram: Take it with a grain of salt, of course, but at the end of the day, you have to be open to receiving criticism if you want to improve. Surrounding yourself with “yes” men is extremely detrimental to the growth of your capabilities.

Julia: I think I’m quite open to criticism and feedback. I usually sit with it for a while, try to understand where it comes from, and incorporate what I find valuable while discarding what is not. I intentionally stop myself from trying to explain my side when receiving someone’s thoughts or impressions. I think that’s what works for me.

Q: Looking back, is there anything you would’ve done differently?

Akram: I would have definitely wanted to take more time in developing the story for my episode. I feel like there’s more room for exploration in terms of characters and fleshing out the story.

Julia: I think I would have prepared a lot more. There’s always something you can do better and improve on. I would have wanted to incorporate more paintings and do a lot more referencing, but I didn’t have enough time to brush up on my art history knowledge.

Conclusion

In a world where the line between reality and fantasy blurs, Akram, Julia, and Alvina have crafted narratives that challenge our perceptions of normalcy and the supernatural. Their films aren’t just stories; they are reflections of personal experiences, cultural contexts, and deep-seated emotions. Through their lenses, we are invited to question our own beliefs and confront the coexistence of different realities. 

Akram’s fascination with the unseen forces of JAGA, Julia’s poignant exploration of identity through the penanggal, and Alvina’s delicate portrayal of love amidst the extraordinary, all serve as windows into their souls and minds. These films compel us to consider: what if the supernatural were as real as our everyday lives? How would it reshape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us?

By embracing both their cultural heritage and modern influences, these directors offer us a glimpse into a world that is both familiar and fantastical. Their works remind us that the supernatural is not just a figment of imagination but a powerful metaphor for the unseen and unspoken parts of our lives. As we watch their stories unfold, we are encouraged to delve deeper into our own narratives, embrace the complexity of our identities, and find beauty in the balance between the ordinary and the extraordinary.

Their journey is a testament to the power of film as a medium of expression and connection. As they navigate their creative paths, they inspire us to look beyond the surface, to question, and to dream. Through their films, they challenge us to see the world anew, to recognize the supernatural within us, and to appreciate the rich tapestry of stories that make us who we are.

What would it be like if supernatural beings really coexisted with us in this universe? Would there possibly be a perfect balance? These three short films directed by Akram, Julia and Alvina might just be the key to your answers! Join them as you navigate through a universe of humans and supernatural beings, guided to figure out how to obtain the perfect balance, to fit in and to love without restrictions.

Written By: Tisyha, Vanessa, Sarah Wong

Edited By: Ashley

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