The Malaysian film industry marks a milestone with “Pendatang,” the nation’s first fully crowdfunded movie, which has captivated audiences on YouTube.
Garnered over 90k views in a day
Released last night (21 Dec) at 9 pm, the Cantonese-language dystopian thriller quickly garnered over 90,000 views in just one day, with many praising it as a ‘good movie’ to watch.
One wrote that we need more movies like this to show how fragile and vital it is for Malaysians from all walks of life to live in harmony with one another.
“We must not allow politics and extremism, whether using religion, race, social class, or the economy, to break us apart.”
“This movie serves as a reminder to stay strong together and not let racism divide the country. This message applies to every country as well.”
One also noticed that some casual racism in Malaysia is subtly shown in the movie.
THIS MOVIE IS THE BEST!!This film shows that if we exhibit extreme racial tendencies, there will be parties taking advantage to oppress us. We are the Malaysian people, we look out for each other.When those below quarrel, those above take advantage,” another wrote.
What is ‘Pendatang’ movie about?
“Pendatang” presents a gripping narrative set in a future Malaysia, where societal divisions are exacerbated by a Segregation Act.
This act rigidly separates ethnic groups, creating isolated communities. The story centers on a Chinese-Malaysian family forced to move to a wooden house in a rural area previously inhabited by Malays, triggered by a traffic violation.
Kuman Pictures, the production company behind this groundbreaking project, raised approximately RM300,000 through crowdfunding.
The decision to premiere the film on YouTube was strategic, as the producers acknowledged that “Pendatang” would not have passed the National Film Censorship Board (LPF) for cinematic release.
