KUCHING, Oct 20: ‘The Pillar of Strength’ is a captivating narrative that intertwines heritage, nature, personal growth, and human connections.
This animated short film, a historic first for Sarawak-inspired animation in nationwide cinemas, immerses the audience in the cinematic realm of Rentap, the Iban-Dayak warrior, revealing a fictional childhood origin story.
Crafted by renowed local animator Aie Ibrahim, it stands as one of seven homegrown animated shorts featured in selected Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) venues nationwide.
This special presentation coincides with the inaugural Malaysia Animation Film Festival (MAFF) 2023, running from October 5th to 25th.
“‘The Pillar Of Strength’ is a unique tale that delves into themes of family, environmental conservation, human identity, and the cultural patterns of ancient Borneo archipelago,” said Aie who is celebrated for his contributions to animated classics like Usop Sontorian and Silat Legenda & Putih, describes ‘The Pillar of Strength’ in a statement as a captivating narrative that weaves together elements of heritage, nature, personal growth, and human connections.
As such, a collaborative effort between Aie of Creatvtoon Studio and Andrew Bong of Ventura Interactive, highlights the talents of Sarawak, including the violinist Nisa Addina, sape player Brenda Bulan, and the film’s music composer, Kuching-born Bong.
Bong, acclaimed for his work on ‘Upin & Ipin: Keris Siamang Tunggal,’ shares that ‘The Pillar of Strength’s soundtrack was recorded with the Budapest Orchestra, where music for renowned films like Bong Joon-Ho’s Oscar-winning ‘Parasite’ and China’s blockbuster ‘The Wandering Earth’ were also produced.
“There is a misconception that recording your music with an orchestra overseas is expensive. On the contrary, it is much more accessible in terms of the pricing and the standard of the studio musicians.
“We have often recorded our music score in Eastern Europe, especially with the orchestra in Budapest. We have partnered with our local and international musicians with impressive resumes to showcase beautiful performances and leverage our local talents,” Bong told TVS yesterday.
Bong, who is also the chief executive officer for Ventura Interactive, said the film features collaborations with several international musicians, such as Burak Besir (Woodwinds – Netflix One Piece, The Witcher, Upin & Ipin: Keris Siamang Tunggal) and Noriko Terada (Percussions – Final Fantasy 15, Little Witch Academia).
He attributes the short film’s success following the support from Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), Sarawak Digital and Innovation, and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
This success hints at promising opportunities for Sarawak’s digital creative economy, sparking discussions with stakeholders regarding production, tourism, licensing, and merchandising to showcase Sarawak’s unique stories on a global stage.
MAFF 2023, a collaboration between GSC and MDEC through the latter’s platform ‘Kre8tif!’, aims to offer aspiring digital content creators and filmmakers a platform to showcase their stories.
Kuchingites get to watch the ‘The Pillar Of Strength’ at GSC CityOne here from today till October 22nd at 12pm. – TVS
