Kota Kinabalu: Local filmmaker Marc Abas hopes his latest film, Bobohizan: Next Generation, will encourage younger audiences to embrace unity and goodness while keeping Sabah’s cultural heritage alive.
The film, which is scheduled to open at four selected cinemas in Sabah on Nov 5, combines contemporary action and mysticism with elements of Kadazandusun tradition.
Marc said the story was designed to appeal particularly to Generation Z through a younger cast portraying modern-day descendants of Bobohizan, the traditional spiritual practitioners of the Kadazandusun community.
He said the sold-out premiere screening on Oct 3 showed the appeal of bringing younger characters together against an ancient supernatural threat.
“It shows that the younger generation likes this kind of story,” he said, adding that the film brings together characters from different ethnic backgrounds.
The cast features young characters of mixed heritage who unite to confront an ancient evil, reflecting the film’s central message of solidarity beyond differences in ethnicity, religion and background.
“Even though we come from different backgrounds, ethnicities or religions, when we face something evil, we must unite,” Marc said.
“That is my message of unity.”He added that the film also drew on lessons passed down by ancestors, particularly the belief that Bobohizan remain on the side of goodness.
“Only goodness can defeat evil,” he said, urging young people not to forget the importance of doing good.
However, bringing the traditional institution of Bobohizan into a contemporary action-mystical setting presented challenges, particularly in portraying its historical and cultural elements appropriately.
Marc said one requirement was to feature seven Bobohizan in both the historical and modern-day timelines, requiring him to find actors to fill the roles across the two generations.
Another major challenge involved the use of rinait, traditional ritual chants that could not be incorporated into filming indiscriminately.
He said he sought guidance from the head of the Bobohizan association, who reviewed the film’s synopsis and story before giving his approval.
“He agreed because I was not interfering with the Bobohizan institution, but only drawing from its history,” Marc said.
To ensure the chants were handled appropriately, the actors mimed their delivery during filming, with recordings sourced from an original Bobohizan practitioner and incorporated during post-production with some modern modifications.
Marc said the film’s visual effects, music, sound and editing also underwent extensive refinement, with the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) providing about RM164,000 for post-production work.
He said the Finas panel reviewed and rejected five rounds of editing before approving the final version, a process that took about six months.
The film cost approximately RM300,000 to produce, including Finas funding, and took about one and a half years to complete, covering filming and editing.
Locations included Papar, Penampang, museums, and areas around the City, while the cast, crew, and editor were all Sabahans, with guidance from Finas representatives from the peninsula.
Bobohizan: Next Generation is Marc’s 11th feature film, in addition to seven short films he has made.
He hopes the film will reach international audiences through film festivals, which he sees as a route for local stories to gain wider exposure.
“If it is selected and wins an award, we should be grateful because that means the world gets to see it,” he said.
Marc also hopes the Sabah Government will provide greater support for productions that document the State’s history and traditions, alongside continued assistance from Finas.
He acknowledged that films centred on cultural heritage and history could be challenging to produce, but said they were necessary to prevent local stories from disappearing.
“If I only wanted to make entertainment, I would not choose to make historical stories like these,” he said.
The film follows seven Bobohizan who, 400 years ago, helped defeat and imprison a headhunter named Mondou.
In the present day, Mondou escapes and seeks revenge against the descendants of the Bobohizan, leaving a new generation unfamiliar with the old traditions to confront the threat.
The film stars Marc Abas, Marco Nicho, Lilyanna Laitin, Che Chi, Mayg Jefri, Layla Lucas and Szu Li.
