Malaysian film wins top award in Locarno

Monday August 17, 2009
Malaysian film wins top award in Locarno

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian filmmaker Ho Yuhang’s At the End of Daybreak nabbed the NETPAC (Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema) prize for best Asian film at the 62nd Locarno International Film Festival.
Not only that, Ho has also made Malaysia proud as his fourth and latest full-length feature is the first Malaysian film to be screened in competition at the prestigious European film festival.
The multiple award-winning filmmaker was accompanied by producer Lorna Tee and his film’s Hong Kong lead actor Chui Man Kin (also known as Chui Tien You) at the film festival in Switzerland last week.
When contacted yesterday, Ho said he “had an enjoyable time in Locarno and was very happy to have won the award”.
The phone interview was conducted during a break in the filming of fellow Malaysian filmmaker Afdlin Shauki’s new horror flick Jalan Lama in which Ho has a cameo role.
Not one to rest on his laurels, Ho is already working on three other movie scripts: a noir comedy about revenge, a melodrama about a gambler and a Japanese film project which will take him to Tokyo next month.
At the End of Daybreak (Sham Moh in Cantonese) is a Malaysia-South Korea-Hong Kong co-production.
The tragic tale of two young lovers was filmed entirely in Malaysia, mainly Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur.
Apart from Chui, the film’s main cast features Hong Kong actress Kara Wai Ying Hung and Malaysian actors Jane Ng Meng Hui, Chew Kin Wah and Mandy Chong.
Ho’s 94-minute film was one of 18 films from 15 countries – including seven first works – competing in the international competition category.
One of the oldest in the world, the film festival has been held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland, since 1946.Bottom of Formhttp://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/8/17/nation/4532883&sec=nation