3 local films doing interesting things with Malaysian stories

Malaysian cinema has never lacked variety, but several local productions arriving this season are looking beyond familiar formulas.

One draws on Hungry Ghost Festival traditions, another puts persons with disabilities at the heart of an underwater adventure, while a third centres three deaf teenagers from different backgrounds.

Together, they show how filmmakers are using genre, culture and lived experience to tell stories that feel distinctly Malaysian.

1. ‘Lunar July’ turns Ghost Month traditions into folk horror

Showing in cinemas as of press time, “Lunar July” takes inspiration from the seventh lunar month and the beliefs and customs surrounding the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Directed by JeRR PS Rion, the film incorporates familiar elements such as getai performances and Da Shi Ye, the guardian figure associated with wandering spirits during the month.

The story follows a city rock band invited to perform at a Hungry Ghost Festival celebration in a village, where trouble begins after members of the group dismiss local taboos and offend Da Shi Ye.

For JeRR, however, the film did not begin as a straightforward ghost story. He has said the idea grew from time spent backstage at a Hungry Ghost Festival performance, where he became increasingly interested in the rituals, stories and beliefs surrounding the event.

The project was originally conceived as a comedy before evolving into a supernatural production. Rather than use the traditions purely as horror decoration, JeRR said he wanted to explore the cultural meaning behind them and challenge simplistic perceptions of Da Shi Ye as merely a frightening figure.

That gives “Lunar July” a recognisably Malaysian cultural foundation: getai stages, offerings and the idea of unseen audiences are not simply visual props, but part of a larger set of beliefs connected with remembrance, compassion and respect for the dead.

The Hungry Ghost Festival is traditionally observed during the seventh lunar month, when spirits are believed to be able to wander among the living. Performances may be staged for both human and unseen audiences, with front-row seats sometimes deliberately left empty.

For audiences unfamiliar with these traditions, “Lunar July” therefore offers more than jump scares. It uses horror as a gateway into a part of Malaysian Chinese cultural life that many may have seen from a distance without fully understanding.

2. ‘The Last Dive’ puts disabled performers beneath the surface

Due in cinemas on Dec 3, “The Last Dive” (“Takdir Terakhir”) approaches representation from a very different angle. Inspired by a true story, the film features five persons with disabilities performing their own underwater diving scenes rather than relying on visual effects to recreate the action.

Executive producer Wendy Wong told Bernama that the performers brought their own experiences to the production, and were there not to invite sympathy but to demonstrate what they were capable of doing.

The film follows Faiz, a former footballer who becomes paralysed after a hit-and-run accident, and Amelia, a scuba instructor who helps persons with disabilities experience the underwater world.

Around 90% of filming took place at Pulau Lang Tengah and Pulau Bidong in Terengganu, with cast and crew involved in underwater scenes undergoing training and obtaining diving licences.

The idea was inspired by a story Wong heard about a woman with terminal cancer who used a wheelchair and wanted to experience diving before she died. Although her mobility was limited on land, she reportedly felt a sense of freedom underwater.

The production also carries an environmental message touching on marine pollution, fish bombing and coral theft, while highlighting the damage rubbish can cause to turtles and other marine life. Click here to watch the trailer.

In May, “The Last Dive” was screened at a special event in Cannes, France, followed by a screening in Beijing in September.

3. ‘Sayang Sayang’ finds connection across difference

Opening in Malaysian cinemas today, “Sayang Sayang” follows three deaf teenagers from different ethnic backgrounds as they navigate family relationships and the desire to be understood.

Directed by Taiwan’s Tang Hsiang-Chu and produced by Jin Ong, the Malaysian-Taiwanese collaboration was filmed along the coastlines of Kelantan and Terengganu and has earned five nominations at the 63rd Golden Horse Awards.

FMT Lifestyle previously examined the film’s approach to deaf representation and Malaysia’s multicultural identity. Here, it serves as another example of local cinema looking beyond conventional protagonists and giving greater space to experiences that are often underrepresented onscreen.

These three titles differ sharply in tone – supernatural, adventurous and intimate – but each draws its strength from stories rooted close to home, demonstrating novel ways to tell tales that deserve to be told.

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