
Nest of memories and heritage
Written and directed by Sarawakian filmmaker Danish Busmah, Space Between not only showcases Niah's natural beauty but explores a father's relationship with his young daughter as they navigate the weight of heritage and unspoken love between them.
It's a story inspired by local culture and heritage, something that Danish hopes fellow filmmakers will explore in their work.
''Space Between is more than just a short film, it is a deeply personal story about a daughter, her father and the silent weight of memory, grief and love.
'Space Between' was shot on location in the Niah Caves. — Photo courtesy of 21 Ways Film
'But behind the fiction lies something real: our collective desire as Sarawakians to tell the stories that matter, stories that come from our heritage and lived experiences,' he said at the film's premiere screening in Kuching ahead of its release on TVS on June 15 in conjunction with Father's Day.
Featuring local actors Julai Billie and Darweesha Dasuki as the father and daughter, Space Between was filmed on location at Niah National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Danish said the 12-minute film is likely the first to be shot in the heart of the Niah Caves.
'The caves and the surrounding area are home to the generational tradition of bird's nest harvesting.
The movie showcases the natural beauty of the Niah Caves. — Photos by ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star
'It is this world and this legacy that inspired the emotional core of this short film.'
The story also has a personal connection for him, as his father comes from Kampung Lobang Batu, Serian, which has a similar tradition of collecting bird's nests.
'That's where I got the inspiration for the story. Then we expanded it to Niah, because we feel the grandeur of the location is very understated and we really wanted to emphasise the beauty that we have.'
Produced by 21 Ways Film, a Sarawakian production house, Space Between was supported by the Sarawak heritage, arts and culture facilitation fund in collaboration with TVS.
Danish said the film is proof that Sarawakian stories are worth telling, not only for a local audience but for global viewers.
Local actors Julai (right) and Darweesha (centre) played the father and daughter in 'Space Between', directed by Danish (left).
With plans to submit Space Between to international film festivals by next year, he hoped its story will go beyond Sarawak's shores while remaining rooted in local culture and traditions.
'I truly believe this is only the beginning for all of us. We look forward to seeing more of our voices and vision taking the stage,' he said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
17 hours ago
- The Star
Nest of memories and heritage
THE vast depths of the Niah Caves form a stunning backdrop to a new short film from Sarawak about a father and daughter and their community's tradition of bird's nest harvesting. Written and directed by Sarawakian filmmaker Danish Busmah, Space Between not only showcases Niah's natural beauty but explores a father's relationship with his young daughter as they navigate the weight of heritage and unspoken love between them. It's a story inspired by local culture and heritage, something that Danish hopes fellow filmmakers will explore in their work. ''Space Between is more than just a short film, it is a deeply personal story about a daughter, her father and the silent weight of memory, grief and love. 'Space Between' was shot on location in the Niah Caves. — Photo courtesy of 21 Ways Film 'But behind the fiction lies something real: our collective desire as Sarawakians to tell the stories that matter, stories that come from our heritage and lived experiences,' he said at the film's premiere screening in Kuching ahead of its release on TVS on June 15 in conjunction with Father's Day. Featuring local actors Julai Billie and Darweesha Dasuki as the father and daughter, Space Between was filmed on location at Niah National Park, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Danish said the 12-minute film is likely the first to be shot in the heart of the Niah Caves. 'The caves and the surrounding area are home to the generational tradition of bird's nest harvesting. The movie showcases the natural beauty of the Niah Caves. — Photos by ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star 'It is this world and this legacy that inspired the emotional core of this short film.' The story also has a personal connection for him, as his father comes from Kampung Lobang Batu, Serian, which has a similar tradition of collecting bird's nests. 'That's where I got the inspiration for the story. Then we expanded it to Niah, because we feel the grandeur of the location is very understated and we really wanted to emphasise the beauty that we have.' Produced by 21 Ways Film, a Sarawakian production house, Space Between was supported by the Sarawak heritage, arts and culture facilitation fund in collaboration with TVS. Danish said the film is proof that Sarawakian stories are worth telling, not only for a local audience but for global viewers. Local actors Julai (right) and Darweesha (centre) played the father and daughter in 'Space Between', directed by Danish (left). With plans to submit Space Between to international film festivals by next year, he hoped its story will go beyond Sarawak's shores while remaining rooted in local culture and traditions. 'I truly believe this is only the beginning for all of us. We look forward to seeing more of our voices and vision taking the stage,' he said.


The Star
17 hours ago
- The Star
Seafood, exotic Indian dishes highlights of dinner buffet in KL
CHEF Vengadesen Sundarasan, 38, did not begin his career at culinary school – he initially studied engineering but discovered his passion in the kitchen. Now with 19 years' experience, he is Crowne Plaza Kuala Lumpur City Centre's chef de cuisine. 'I had applied for a job in a hotel's engineering department but there was no vacancy. 'But the hotel had an opening in its kitchen crew team, so I took it,' he recalled. Malabar Briyani Seven months later, when there was a vacancy in the engineering department, Vengadesen decided to stay in the kitchen. 'My paternal grandfather had a catering business and that might have influenced me,' he said. Vengadesen's forte is in pastries as well as Western and Indian dishes. 'Indian food is my speciality. 'I particularly enjoy Indian food from the Malabar region and Kerala state, which is not spicy but flavourful. 'I learned most of my Indian cooking from a chef from Kerala,' he said. Fried Seabass Fillet with Thai Sauce. — AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star He has incorporated Malabar dishes in the 'Feast of the Ocean' dinner buffet at Merchants, Crowne Plaza Kuala Lumpur City Centre's all-day dining restaurant. 'The spread's highlights are seafood dishes such as Boston lobster, Malabar Briyani, and Udang Galah Masak Sambal. 'We also feature various sushi and chilled seafood on ice.' The chef recommends the Malabar Crab Masala. 'Kerala dishes such as Malabar Crab Masala are cooked with coconut oil, which adds flavour.' The seafood-on-ice selectionfeatures lobsters, briny oysters, mussels, clams and prawns. Hot stations showcase grilled seafood, including whole fish of the day, along with crab, river prawns, salmon fillets and beef short ribs – all glazed with rich sauces. Chilli fried prawns. — Photos: AZLINA ABDULLAH/The Star The buffet also offers crispy, golden tempura fried to order and flavourful satay. There are stations too for made-to-order noodles and pasta. Priced at RM238+ per adult, RM168+ per senior citizen and RM118+ per child, the buffet takes place every Friday and Saturday from 6.30pm to 10.30pm. MERCHANTS, Crowne Plaza Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Menara 8, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Kuala Lumpur. (Tel: 03-2782 8888) Business hours: 6.30am to 10.30pm daily. This is the writer's personal observation and is not an endorsement by StarMetro.

Barnama
21 hours ago
- Barnama
MAHB LANCAR PERKHIDMATAN FASTTRACK LAPANGAN TERBANG YANG DINAIK TARAF DI KLIA
Robin Williams ' son, Zachary Pym Williams, marked what would have been his late father's 74th with a post celebrating Williams' singular ability to give people 'permission to feel deeply and to laugh through the pain .' On Instagram , Zachary wrote about the ups-and-downs of grief, especially during the annual 60-day period that encompasses Father's Day, Williams' birthday (July 21), and the anniversary of his death (Aug. 11). 'It's a tender and complicated stretch of time. One that asks a lot of the heart,' Zachary wrote. He added: 'For me, grief isn't linear. It loops and echoes. It softens, then crescendos. But alongside it lives a legacy, the kind built not from fame or recognition, but from generosity and relentless kindness.' Zachary went on to say that his father 'lived to make people feel seen,' and that he hopes to carry on his dad's mission of encouraging deep feeling and laughter, even in the face of pain and sorrow. 'So today, I hold close the idea that the best way to honor those we love is to live the values they stood for,' he wrote. 'To lead with service and compassion. To lift others when they're down. And to find paths of light, even in the dark corners. To anyone carrying loss right now: you're not alone. You are part of a passage of love and connection that never really ends.' Zachary is the oldest of Williams' three children, born in 1983 to Williams' first wife, the actress Valerie Velardi. In a 1988 interview with Rolling Stone , Williams spoke about watching his then five-year-old son get older while answering a question about an Albert Einstein quote he cited at the end of one of his specials: 'My sense of God is my sense of wonder about the universe.' Asked what those words meant to him, Williams replied, 'It's like Mel Brooks's great line as the 2000-year-old man [ in a Yiddish accent ]: 'There's something bigger than Phil .' You can't help but see it when you deal with nature in the extreme. Like when you're body surfing on Maui and a storm suddenly makes a ten-foot wave come at you. It gives you a sense of your mortality. Or it's when you see something incredibly beautiful. I get it when I see Zachary changing. Here's this being who is you but not you slowly growing and forming opinions of his own.'