Compiled by RAHIMY RAHIM, C. ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHAN
MALAYSIAN director Chong Keat Aun added another notch to his belt after his latest movie, Snow in Midsummer, clinched the Best Film Award at the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), reported Sin Chew Daily.
“I decided to showcase the film at the NYAFF without any expectations. When they announced that it won Best Film, I was thrilled,” Chong said on social media.
Snow in Midsummer, which tells the story of the aftermath of the May 13 riots, managed to beat seven other films nominated in that category, one of which was the popular Thai flick How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.
The movie did not get through Film Censorship Board scrutiny unscathed, with several scenes cut and some dialogues muted before it premiered in Malaysia on July 18.
However, Chong said he was grateful that the film got to the big screen at all.
“Some people may accuse me of compromising the integrity of my film by allowing it to be censored.
“However, I hope that the fact that it was allowed to be screened at all can be seen as a form of progress in the country,” he said during an earlier press conference.
> Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau shocked fans after he nearly fell off a stage lift during a performance in Beijing recently, reported China Press.
Engrossed in performing the song Forever True, Lau took a step forward without realising that he was stepping off the lift platform.
He stumbled forward but managed to stop himself from falling off by grabbing onto the railings on the lift platform.
The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a, it denotes a separate news item.
