Malay director's first-ever Cantonese film gets international recognition
By AGENCY
- ENTERTAINMENT
- Monday, 25 Dec 2023
2:00 PM MYT
The film titled 'Rain Town' is directed by Tunku Mona Riza Tunku Khalid, who previously made 'Redha'. Photo: Bernama
After making a mark on the international stage through Redha, film director Tunku Mona Riza Tunku Khalid is unlocking another achievement with her first-ever Cantonese-language movie, Rain Town.
Interestingly, the New York Film Academy alum is not conversant in the language and throughout the filming in Taiping, Perak, she had to rely on an interpreter.
"I enjoy new challenges...and I am not neglecting the Malay language, but it is good to use other languages to develop our film industry.
"I do not just work using different languages but go through the fascinating process from different perspectives through interaction and learning. Although there is a sense of fear and apprehension, I am satisfied with the results,” she told reporters after the film’s launch recently.
Tunku Mona said she had directed advertisements in multiple languages, including Mandarin, Khmer, and Vietnamese, besides making super telefilms Uri (Iban) and Parit Jawa (Javanese).
Like Redha, which was inspired by a true story documenting the challenges faced by a couple in taking care of their autistic child, Rain Town also features family issues plaguing Malaysia’s multi-racial society.
According to the Best New Director at the 29th Malaysian Film Festival, Rain Town tells an emotionally charged story of controlling parents
