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New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Indonesia's top-selling animated movie finally arrives in Malaysia
INDONESIA'S most talked-about movie for 2025 is 'Jumbo'. No, it is not about a baby elephant like 'Dumbo' of Disney, but about a chubby and awkward boy who loves fairy tales and one day meets a real fairy. This fantasy animated film directed by Ryan Adriandhy in his directorial debut arrives in Malaysian cinemas nationwide on June 29 and features popular singers Bunga Citra Lestari and Ariel of Noah as the protagonist boy's late parents. SKOP 'Jumbo'. which is distributed by Skop Productions, is jointly produced by Visinema Studios, Springboard and Anami Films, and features the voiceover talents of Prince Poetiray, Quinn Salman, Yusuf Ozkan, Graciella Abigail, Muhammad Adhiyat, Ratna Riantiarno, Angga Yunada, Cinta Laura Kiehl, Ariyo Wahab, Kiki Narendra, Aci Resti and Rachel Amanda. It premiered in Indonesian cinemas on March 31, 2025. ORPHAN At the recent preview of 'Jumbo' at GSC The Starling Mall, Petaling Jaya, Ryan said: "The film tells the story of a 10-year-old orphan named Don who is often belittled by his schoolmates because of his large size. "Don has a fairy tale book inherited from his late parents, filled with illustrations and magical stories. "The book is not only a treasure but also serves as a source of inspiration and escape for Don from a world that feels unwelcoming due to the constant insults by his neighbourhood's children." TALENT Ryan added that Don is able to prove his abilities by participating in a talent show, where he plans to perform a play inspired by stories left by his parents. However, his school bully Atta steals the book, leaving him in despair. "Fortunately, Don always has the support of his grandmother and his best friends, Nurman and Mae." In the midst of his despair, Don meets Meri, a mysterious little fairy, who asks for his help to find her parents. "He then strives to recover his inheritance book. This encounter begins an adventure full of wonders, transforming Don's view of himself, teaching the meaning of true friendship, courage, and self-confidence, and strengthening the bonds of their newly-formed friendship." SCRIPT Ryan wrote the script for 'Jumbo' from 2019 to 2020, and had popular child star Prince in mind for the voice of Don. "Prince is a natural actor, from day one I saw him as the embodiment of what Don should be," he said, adding that 12-year-old Prince has great potential as an actor. Ryan chose to have Bunga and Ariel voice Don's parents as they are among the country's "A-listers" and could attract the cinema-going crowd. "And to make things more interesting, they voice characters who do not look like them at all." GIFTED Ryan said that the young cast comprising Prince (Don), Quinn (Meri), Yusuf (Nurman), Graciella (Mae) and Muhammad (Atta) were "naturally gifted" as voice actors and actresses. "It was a breeze to work with all of them, they fell in love with their characters and poured their hearts and souls into them," he said. He added that the young stars' facial expressions were "put into" the characters. "Whenever the animated kid runs, gasps, sighs or laughs, it's a sign that the real-life voice actor or actress is doing the same." THEME SONG Prince, who is starring in his first movie, also sang the theme song 'Selalu Ada Di Nadimu', a beautiful number which captures the mood of Don, an orphan who clings on to his parents' gift and misses them dearly. "It's a lovely song and I want to thank the producer and director for having me sing it," he said, adding that he also loved his character Don. "Don is a good boy, a loving son, despite his flaws such as being self-centred and not moving on. "When he meets Meri the fairy girl, she teaches him to be brave, caring and sharing, and helps him grow as a person," said Prince, who actually "ran on the spot" to recreate his character's running scenes. FAMILY The animated film's producer Novia Puspa Sari said that 'Jumbo' also carried the message of loving one's parents "before it is too late". "There's a bit of Don in everyone of us, this movie is for families, and celebrates family values," she said. Skop founder Datuk Yusof Haslam said that it was great to have 'Jumbo' "drop by" in Malaysia, as it was Indonesia's best-selling animated film to date, and Southeast Asia's highest-grossing one. "This is a very wholesome animated story that places strong emphasis on family, friendship and being independent, brave and selfless," he said. "Malaysian movie-goers ought not to miss it, and it is best that they bring their families along to the cinemas." Ryan said that Indonesian viewers loved animated stories that were "close to their lives" and celebrated children.
New Straits Times
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Time for more Malaysian films to be screened abroad
SYAFIQ Yusof has praised his father, Datuk Yusof Haslam, for his persistent efforts to screen their film, 'Blood Brothers: Bara Naga', in Southeast Asian countries. According to the 33-year-old filmmaker, it is high time for Malaysian films to reach broader regional audiences and move beyond traditional markets like Singapore and Brunei. "If we look at the film market in Malaysia, we operate an open market concept, allowing films from any country to enter, particularly those from Thailand and Indonesia," Syafiq told Harian Metro. "However, gaining entry for our films into other countries' markets can be different. What's important is that our local artistic work has been successful in Malaysia, and I am grateful for that. It is the success of this film that has given us the confidence to take 'Blood Brothers' abroad to several Southeast Asian countries," he added. Syafiq believes there is nothing wrong with attempting to introduce Malaysian films to foreign markets, regardless of the outcome. He said that the decision taken by Skop Productions, his father's company, is the correct one. The film, co-directed by Syafiq and Abhilash Chandra, premiered in Cambodian cinemas on May 27. It will then be released in Thailand in June, followed by Vietnam and Indonesia. "My hope is that this film will continue to be well-received by international audiences," he said. Beyond its Malaysian release, 'Blood Brothers' is also being screened in Singapore and Brunei.
New Straits Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: 'Blood Brothers: Bara Naga' gets novelised
KUALA LUMPUR: Skop Productions, in collaboration with WhiteCoat Group, has transformed its cinematic blockbuster, Blood Brothers: Bara Naga, into a novel. Datuk Yusof Haslam, founder and head of the film production house, stated that this move wasn't new for him, recalling that his popular 1990s movie Sembilu was also novelised. "Blood Brothers: Bara Naga, directed by my son Syafiq and his friend Abhilash Chandra, makes history by transitioning from a film to a novel," said Yusof at the novel's launch at Dewan Merdeka, World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, last Sunday. "Just like when Sembilu was screened, we turned it into a novel, and as far as I remember, about 30,000 copies of that novel were produced." Blood Brothers: Bara Naga, which premiered on April 10, has earned RM62 million in 20 days, making it one of the country's top-selling films. Yusof explained that novelising Blood Brothers was a good idea, as not everyone enjoys watching films. He extended his gratitude to authors Dr. Anwar Fazal and Amshida Ahmad Rani for "doing a great job." "Dr. Anwar is my nephew and he is also a songwriter for Syafiq's films," he added. Syafiq expressed his hope that the novel would be well-received by readers, adding, "Congratulations Dr. Anwar, I hope this novel will be a great success." Anwar and Amshida completed the novel in two weeks.
New Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Malaysia-HK firms team up to produce films for global stage
THE National Film Development Corporation (Finas) has lauded the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding between prominent producers Skop Productions (Malaysia) and Mandarin Motion Pictures (Hong Kong) as a significant stride towards bolstering regional film collaboration. This MoU stems from the Malaysian delegation's participation in the Hong Kong Filmart last March, spearheaded by Finas chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib. The initiative has paved the way for a joint production agreement aimed at creating new, internationally acclaimed cinematic works. Azmir emphasised the importance of this collaboration, saying that it "not only acts as a catalyst for stronger ties between the Malaysian and Hong Kong film industries, but also marks the first joint film endeavour following the official visit of the Chinese president to Malaysia last month". "This also serves to strengthen diplomatic and economic relations through cultural diplomacy," he added. Azmir also highlighted the significant investment support from Chinese government-linked entities, such as Bauhinia Cultural Group and Sil-Metropole Organisation. "This reflects the confidence of international investors in Malaysia's creative potential and the quality of our productions. "This strategic partnership will greatly benefit Malaysia's film industry ecosystem by facilitating market expansion, technology and skills transfer and positioning Malaysia as a premier global filming destination," he said in a recent Berita Harian report. Azmir said the project was supported by the Film in Malaysia Incentive (FIMI), which offered a 30 per cent rebate for film and television productions filming within the country. "This collaboration aligns with the aspirations of the Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, who underscores the importance of strategic partnerships, private sector investment and sustainable film financing for the growth of our national creative industry, ensuring it's not reliant on government funding. "Finas is confident that through the combined efforts of various stakeholders, Malaysia will continue to confidently and qualitatively make its mark on the global stage," he said.
The Star
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
M'sia-HK film pact benefits regional productions
KUALA LUMPUR: The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Malaysian film production company Skop Productions and Hong Kong's Mandarin Motion Pictures is seen as a strategic move to strengthen regional film cooperation. National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (Finas) chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib said the partnership was highly significant as it not only serves as a catalyst for film industry relations but was also the first joint film initiative announced after the official visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Malaysia last month. 'This strengthens diplomatic and economic ties through a cultural diplomacy approach. 'The strategic partnership also receives investment support from Chinese government-linked companies such as Bauhinia Cultural Group (a government-linked film investment company) and Sil-Metropole Organisation (a company that manages film investments). 'It reflects the confidence of international investors in the country's creative potential and production quality,' he said. The MOU is a direct outcome of the Malaysian delegation's participation at Hong Kong Filmart last March, led by Finas, which resulted in a co-production agreement to produce a new international-class cinematic work. Azmir Saifuddin said the initiative would greatly benefit the country's film industry by facilitating market expansion, enabling technology and skills transfer, and promoting Malaysia as a premier filming destination on the global stage. 'In addition, this project is also supported through the Film in Malaysia Incentive, which offers a 30% cash rebate to film and TV productions filming in Malaysia.' The collaboration also aligns with the aspirations of Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, who has emphasised the importance of strategic collaboration, private investment involvement and sustainable film financing to reduce reliance on government funding in the national creative industry. Azmir Saifuddin also expressed confidence that with collaboration between the public and private sectors, Malaysia would be able to make higher-quality strides on the global stage. One example of recent success is the film Blood Brothers: Bara Naga, co-produced by Skop Productions and Primeworks Studios, which grossed RM45mil within 11 days of its theatrical release. Mandarin Motion Pictures, renowned for its Ip Man franchise starring Hong Kong martial arts icon Donnie Yen, has also achieved tens of millions of ringgit in box office sales across Malaysia.
