Chong (second from left) and Hong Kong actress Hsu (third from left) with the producers of Pavane For An Infant at the opening ceremony of TIFF in Ginza. — Tokyo International Film Festival
TOKYO: Local director Chong Keat Aun is once again making waves on the international stage with his feature film.
This time, his new movie Pavane For An Infant is competing at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF) under the Asian Future category.
It is the only Malaysian production in the running at the annual film festival, competing with nine other titles from the region.
The Asian Future category is TIFF’s competition section for emerging Asian filmmakers.
Chong, who considers his movies to be art films, said he is pleased with the recognition as it provides an important outlet for his work.
“As a local filmmaker, especially one working in the non-commercial genre – often known as art film – there’s this issue where there are no dedicated cinemas (in Malaysia) for such movies, so international film festivals have become essential platforms for promoting and showcasing my work,” Chong, 46, told The Star at the opening of TIFF in the Ginza district near here on Monday.
Pavane For An Infant stars Malaysian-born actress Fish Liew as a social worker at a baby hatch who intervenes to support a pregnant underage girl contemplating abortion. It co-stars Hong Kong actress Natalie Hsu and Malaysian theatre thespian Pearlly Chua.
Given the sensitivity of the subject matter, Chong said the best place to premiere his movie is at foreign film festivals.
“Film festivals usually don’t involve ratings or censorship, so audiences get to experience a film in its purest, most complete form,” he said, adding that the Film Censorship Board’s (LPF) new guidelines have made content creation more restrictive in Malaysia.
Earlier this year, LPF introduced new guidelines for local filmmakers focusing on three pillars – safety and security, religion as well as moral and sociocultural issues.
“For me, it’s not about the awards but about reaching a global audience as film festivals are the best and, perhaps, only place to watch independent works on a big screen,” Chong said.
Chong rose to international fame when his first feature film, The Story Of Southern Islet, won him the Best New Director gong at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards in 2020.
He recently completed his fourth film, Mother Bhumi, which was shot in Kedah and stars Chinese actress Fan Bingbing.
This year’s TIFF runs from Oct 28 to Nov 6, with Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu Wai serving as the president of the jury.
“It’s my honour to be on the jury team this year. I hope our judgments will make everyone happy.
“It’s not an easy job, but we will do our best,” said Leung at the opening ceremony.
