Mantera casts a spell on big screens nationwide, Brunei
Published on: Thu, Apr 24, 2025
By: Ricardo Unto Text Size: Syafie (left) and Jovenea, the lead cast of Mantera. - Pic by Ricardo Unto | Daily Express KOTA KINABALU: The much-awaited horror thriller Mantera began screening in over 50 cinemas nationwide and in Brunei on Thursday (April 24). Kota Kinabalu-based Pro-Merge Vision produces the RM1.2 million film. Spanning 120 minutes, Mantera fuses supernatural horror with ancient Dusunic traditions rooted in Sabah's cultural heritage. It follows Tana, a young woman who inherits mystical powers from her bobolian ancestry. When malevolent forces descend upon her village, Tana is drawn into a chilling chain of deaths and paranormal events. With the help of Inspektor Zaf, they work together to confront the darkness threatening their community. The cast features Jovenea Jim as Tana and Syafie Naswip as Zaf, alongside Namron, Eva Sandra Duin, and Devey Grayc. Jovenea, a 2011 State Unduk Ngadau first runner-up, won Best Actress for the short film Ninavau in 2019. Syafie, a veteran Malaysian actor, is a Best Actor winner at the Malaysian Film Festival and Anugerah Skrin. Mantera marks director Chester Pang's debut feature and showcases Sabah's landscapes and Dusunic spiritualism with striking cinematography by Tim Stephen of Sinakagon fame. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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