KUALA LUMPUR, December 19 — The much-hyped crowdfunded dystopian thriller film Pendatang is set to be released on YouTube this coming Thursday.
The film garnered attention for being touted as Malaysia’s first fully crowdfunded film after it kicked off its campaign on August 8, 2022.
According to the film’s co-producer and Kuman Pictures founder Amir Muhammad, they were able to raise over RM350,000.
In return, backers will receive the film’s merchandise which will include posters and t-shirts that will be given to donors who contributed on crowdfunding website Indiegogo, based on six different tiers.
Amir told Malay Mail he was thankful to the film’s supporters for their help and hoped they will continue to support Malaysian films.
Pendatang revolves around a Chinese family in a fictional racially segregated Malaysia, who discover a Malay child hiding in their new home.
The film will forgo the usual festival circuit and theatrical route with its Youtube release.
Amir said that the reason for this was because Malaysians reportedly consume more YouTube videos than anyone in the world, referencing a 2016 New Straits Times article.
“Our target audience was always Malaysians, but there have been comments from people in other countries such as Indonesia and South Africa that they are curious about it as well.”
The film did have a premiere on November 28 at the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival in Indonesia to which Amir said that it was the ‘cheapest’ film there.
He added he was able to have good discussions with Indonesian audiences but noted that the Kelab Seni Filem Malaysia president Wong Tuck Cheong who was at the festival ‘scolded’ him for making “such a mild film”.
“It is basically a drama about a family that wants to stay together...we don’t want viewers to feel like lessons are being shoved down their throat.
“I think even people who have a visceral negative reaction to the title may end up having some empathy for the regular people who are caught up in turmoil not of their making.”
When asked what he hopes for Pendatang success, Amir said he was not ‘chasing views’ but hoped it would inspire younger Malaysian filmmakers to do better.
