Friday, November 25, 2016

Happenings: BMW Group Malaysia Reveals Finalists for BMW Shorties 2016 - 12 from a record total of 115 entries.

7 of the 12 finalists with BMW's Mr Sashi Ambi, Head of Corporate Communications, BMW Group Malaysia (left) & Nadira Llana (2nd from left)

BMW Group Malaysia has announced the finalists of the BMW Shorties 2016 short film making competition. 12 finalists’ short films are up to contend for the People’s Choice Award which opens for public voting from the 30 th November to 7 th December, 2016 on www.bmwshorties.com.my.


One of the 12 finalists will win the grand prize award of a RM 75,000 production grant alongside promising prospects in the filmmaking industry. Other accolades for filmmaking potential include Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Editing and Best Sound Design as well as the ever popular People’s Choice Award.

This is the tenth year that BMW Malaysia has been organising this competition. And amazingly,  the short film competition receives its highest number of submissions this year with 115 short films. 115 short films to choose from. I imagine the judges going slightly bonkers halfway through watching all of them. I would definitely stop watching movies for a while after this. 

Anyway, this is a great achievement in many ways. Firstly, the BMW Shorties competition is a way for local talent to be spotted. It is also how a global company gives back to the society in a country where it has set foot. You see, it isn't just about giving to the needy, the poor and other charitable stuff. One must also build human capital in many ways. Aside from technical stuff one must also build and nuture the arts. I mean, all work and no play makes all of us dull people. BMW Shorties is one of the ways to make things interesting. 

PRESS RELEASE
BMW Group Malaysia Reveals Finalists for BMW Shorties 2016.

The tenth edition of the BMW Shorties receives the highest number of entries and for the

first time in its history, shortlists 12 finalists for the competition this year.

Kuala Lumpur, 24 November 2016 – The BMW Shorties, Malaysia’s most prestigious

and longest running short film competition celebrates its 10 th year anniversary in 2016.

For the first time in its decade-long history, the short film competition receives its highest

number of submissions with 115 short films.

At the judging earlier this month, the quality of short films received made it very difficult

for the judges to keep their nominations to 10 finalist short films. Eventually the panel

selected 12 short films to be contested in the competition this year, another first for the

BMW Shorties.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Sashi Ambi, Head of Corporate Communications of

BMW Group Malaysia said, “Over the years, the BMW Shorties program has become a

solid platform for young aspiring film talents in Malaysia to showcase their passion for

this art form and to get a career start in the industry here.”

Sashi added that it has been a humbling experience for BMW Group Malaysia to be able

to share the passion, the commitment and talent of the film makers with fellow

Malaysians. He said, “This year, our theme ‘Journey’ does not only celebrate our

decade-long milestone, but also reflects the success this initiative continues to enjoy.”

The judges presiding over this year’s competition is a line-up of Malaysia’s top

filmmaking virtuosos comprising commercial film maker Lina Tan; award-winning

Malaysian film maker, Liew Seng Tat; and up and coming film maker and esteemed

screenwriter, Nadira Ilana, renowned film editor and sound editor, Lee Chatametikool

from Thailand as well as Yuni Hadi from Singapore, a refined film producer, author and

curator specializing in the management of film and media projects.

Lina Tan, who sits on the BMW Shorties judging panel for the sixth time this year, said,

“In my years of being a BMW Shorties judge, the judging process this year is by far the

most challenging one due to the drastically improved quality observed in most of the

submissions. The entries brought with them such a diversity of approaches to film

making alongside an impressive quality such which demanded an exceptionally critical

deliberation from the judging panel.”

Nadira Ilana, who joins the judging board for the first time, commented, “I am impressed

with the maturity communicated by many of the participating film makers in their

productions. It was very refreshing to see passion portrayed through bold storytelling in

the film entries. This proves the abundance of creativity out there – film making talent

who simply need a platform like the BMW Shorties to support them in establishing

legacies in the art of film creation.”

Lee Chatametikool, a celebrated film and sound editor, observed, “Aside from the

impressive competence displayed through the film submissions, there is a local flavour

in many of the creations which is unique to Malaysia. Given the opportunity, I believe

that this local narrative – internalized by so many of the BMW Shorties entrants – will

bring the Malaysian film making industry to new heights in the international scene as

well as unlock its potential in shaping a generation through film production.”

One of the 12 finalists will win the grand prize award of a RM 75,000 production grant

alongside promising prospects in the filmmaking industry. Other accolades for

filmmaking potential include Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay,

Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Editing and Best Sound Design as

well as the ever popular People’s Choice Award.

The 12 finalists’ short films are up to contend for the People’s Choice Award which

opens for public voting from the 30 th November to 7 th December, 2016 on

www.bmwshorties.com.my.

The BMW Shorties 2016 Finalists (in no particular order) are:

 Aman Nak Besar by Affendi Azizan

 Hawa by Tan Ce Ding

 Wednesday (休息日) by Lee Kah Giap

 The Bosom by Pow Lai Xiang

 Terminal by Caston J

 Once See Fatt Cai (一見發財) by Chan Kean Wah

 1304KM: Girl from Sumatra by Lim Han Loong

 Terus by Sherwynn Victor

 Revival by Tham Wai Fook

 Prisoner (囚) by Dexter Lo

 A Short Film without a Title by Koo Shu Xuan

 Roundabout by Liew Yew Yin

The BMW Shorties 2016 Supporting Award nominees in no particular order are:

 Best Director

o Tham Wai Fook for Revivial

o Chan Kean Wah for Once See Fatt Cai (一見發財)

o Affendi Azizan for Aman Nak Besar

o Sherwynn Victor for Terus

o Tan Ce Ding for Hawa

 Best Cinematography

o Wednesday (休息日) by Lee Kah Giap

o Hawa by Tan Teck Zee

o Aman Nak Besar by Iswandi Salim

o A Short Film Without a Title by Damien Goh Kwee Yew

o Terus by Jeffery Ng Jun Guan

 Best Screenplay

o Terus by Sherwynn Victor, Derek Lim, & Daniyal Kadir

o Aman Nak Besar by Affendi Azizan

o Once See Fatt Cai (一見發財) by Chan Kean Wah

o 1304KM: Girl from Sumatra by Lim Han Loong

o Revival by Tham Wai Fook

o Terminal by Caston J

o Hawa by Tan Ce Ding & Andy Darrel Gomes

 Best Production Design

o Revival by Teh Kah Wee

o Hawa by Jess Ooi

o Marathon by We Jun

o Selam by Bani

o Terus by Aiman Hamzah

 Best Sound Design

o Terus by Tang Wai Kent & Sherwynn Victor

o The Bosom by Jaster Fong

o Terminal by Caston J

o Marathon by Sebastian Ng & We Jun

o Prisoner (囚) by San

o Hawa by Azrin Mohamad Noor

 Best Editing

o Once See Fatt Cai (一見發財) by Chan Kean Wah

o Hawa by Tan Ce Ding

o Prisoner (囚) by Kenneth Tan

o Terus by Sherwynn Victor

o Aman Nak Besar by Affendi Azizan

 Best Actor

o Kenny Gan in Roundabout

o Jonathan Lee, Jon Art, & Zac in Once See Fatt Cai (一見發財)

o Vincent Wong in Hawa

o Yap Chin Fong in Terminal

o Azman Hassan in Terus

 Best Actress

o Susan Lankester in Marathon

o Lim Soek Yuen in Act 1: Journey to Guang

o Mia Sabrina Mahadir in 1304KM: Girl from Sumatra

o Syarafina Abdullah in Aman Nak Besar

o Hawa Khadeeja in Hawa

o Sukania Venugopal in Terminal

No comments: