WOO Ming Jin, the International Critics Prize winner at the 2022 Locarno International Film Festival, has been busy completing his new film 'The Fox King'.
The Malay language film stars Indonesian actress Dian Sastrowardoyo, an icon of Indonesian cinema known for her roles in 'Ada Apa Dengan Cinta?' and most recently the Netflix hit series, 'Gadis Kretek'.
'The Fox King' also features Idan Aedan of 'Harum Malam', Amerul Affendi of 'Prebet Sapu', Chew Kin Wah of 'Rain Town' and newcomer Hadi Putra.
In a recent interview, Woo said his new film revolves around fraternal twins with a unique telepathic bond.
"The brothers are forced to fend for themselves when their father abandons them after remarrying a younger wife," he said.
"The arrival of a new teacher, Lara, further complicates matters, and puts their brotherly bond to the test."
GRIEF
Woo added: "The film is about all the important stages that teenagers go through in life — first love, sibling rivalry, bullying and grief.
"No matter what your circumstances are, these rites of passage are universal to everyone."
GROWING UP
He said he wanted to portray a unique story that tells the story of brothers experiencing all the trials and tribulations of growing up, in a way that is cinematically exciting and authentic.
"We were fortunate that Dian connected with the script and loved the character so much.
"Working with her and the rest of the young cast has been a dream come true."
CO-PRODUCTION
The film is a co-production between Malaysia and Indonesia.
"We wanted to make a film that will break down national borders that are usually present, especially for Malaysian films.
"Even though Indonesian films travel to Malaysia, our films are not often seen in Indonesia.
"We hope that this film will change that and will be embraced by audiences of both countries and also beyond."
SMALL TOWN HEROES
The film marks the first collaboration between Woo's Greenlight Pictures and SunStrong Entertainment.
SunStrong Entertainment, founded by entrepreneur Jment Lim, is known for films such as the Venice-selected 'Snow In Midsummer', 'Small Town Heroes' and 'J2: Retribusi' to name a few.
Lim also serves as executive producer of the film.
TOKYO
During the development of the script, it won the Mocha Chai Award at the Qcinema Project Market in the Philippines in November 2023.
It also participated in the 2023 Tokyo Gap-Financing Market.
Other partners involved in 'The Fox King' include DaHuang Pictures and KawanKawan Media.
The production team includes Edmund Yeo and Woo from Greenlight Pictures, Chua Jing Xuan of DaHuang Pictures ('Barbarian Invasion') and Yulia Evina Bhara of KawanKawan Media ('Autobiography') also serve as co-producers.
FINAS
The film is supported by the Malaysian National Film Development Corporation (Finas).
Woo said: "As a twin myself, this is not just a boundary-breaking project, but also a personal one.
"There have been many films about twins, but they are usually cliched romantic comedies or about the evil doppelgangers.
"I want to explore the complexity of the bond between twins, that goes beyond words."
TELEPATHIC
'The Fox King' explores how two brothers go through the growing pains of life, dealing with all the turmoil of adolescence, such as bullying, first love, grief and, of course, sibling rivalry.
It's a movie about the joys and pain of growing up, and dealing with unexpected challenges along the way.
Idan Aedan and Hadi Putra play Ali and Amir, fraternal twins who have a telepathic bond.
EAST COAST
Dian plays the new teacher, who has just left Canada and returned to her father's hometown.
Her character, Lara, is like a tsunami that sweeps the two boys off their feet.
Woo said: "The film was shot primarily in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, in Terengganu.
"It was shot near the ocean and of course that presented us with many challenges in terms of weather and also logistical issues."
WIDER AUDIENCE
"We also shot a few days in Tokyo, Japan.
"So the film has a flavour that is widely contrasting, from a rural seaside town, to the bustling streets of Tokyo."
He added: "The film took roughly two months to shoot.
"We started shooting in March, and finished at the end of April.""
EYE-OPENING
Woo also said Indonesian cinema was more advanced than Malaysia's, and working with producers and actors there was an eye-opening experience.
The film is due to be completed next year in time for film festivals and general release in cinemas.