KUALA LUMPUR: The highly anticipated 33rd Malaysia Film Festival (FFM 33) is set to take place tomorrow at 8.30pm at Auditorium Seri Angkasa in Angkasapuri Kota Media, here.
This year's competition is led by two standout films, Imaginur and Abang Adik, both vying for the coveted Best Film award.
Directed by Nik Amir Mustapha, Imaginur dominates with 15 nominations across 24 categories, making it the most-nominated film at this year's festival.
Nik, who previously won Best Director at FFM 26 for Kil, continues his success with this romantic sci-fi feature.
Produced by Lumatic Films, the movie stars Beto Kusyairy and Diana Danielle, both earning nods for Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively.
Other categories include Best Director, Best Screenplay, Most Promising Actress, and technical awards such as Best Cinematography and Best Sound Design.
Imaginur, which grossed RM6 million at the box office last year, follows the story of Zuhal, who is haunted by recurring dreams of a woman named Nur.
After an accident, Zuhal awakens in a hospital, leading him to seek help from a hypnosis specialist to unravel the mystery of his dreams and his father's battle with Alzheimer's.
Close behind with 11 nominations, Abang Adik by Jin Ong explores the lives of two orphans.
This family drama has already garnered international acclaim, including Best Film at the 10th Asian World Film Festival in Los Angeles.
It is also Malaysia's official entry to the 97th Academy Awards next year.
Released on Dec 14, 2023, Abang Adik features a stellar cast led by Wu Kang Ren and Jack Tan.
The film has made waves with awards from prestigious festivals such as the New York Asian Film Festival and the Far East Film Festival in Italy.
At FFM 33, it competes for Best New Director, Best Supporting Actor, and Most Promising Actor, among other categories.
Apart from Imaginur and Abang Adik, the Best Film category features strong competitors: Duan Nago Bogho (Kalamariff Holdings), Sheriff: Narko Integriti (Skop Productions & Astro Shaw), Mechamato Movie (Animonsta Studios), Hungry Ghost Diner (Kinovisuals), and Rain Town (Current Pictures).
Sheriff: Narko Integriti, directed by Syafiq Yusof, leads the action genre with nine nominations, including Best Actor for Zul Ariffin and Best Supporting Actress for Elizabeth Tan.
Meanwhile, Rain Town also secured nine nominations, spotlighting its diverse storytelling and artistic direction.
In the race for Best Director, Nik Amir (Imaginur) and Syafiq Yusof (Sheriff) are the top contenders.
They face strong competition from Sabri Yunus (Duan Nago Bogho), Tunku Mona Riza (Rain Town), and Nizam Razak (Mechamato Movie).
In acting categories, Diana Danielle (Imaginur) and Beto Kusyairy (Imaginur) are favorites for Best Actress and Best Actor, respectively.
Other notable nominees include Susan Lankester (Rain Town) and Zul Ariffin (Sheriff).
With the theme "EMAS - Evolution of Malaysian Cinema," FFM 33 features 104 submissions, with 95 qualifying nominations across feature films, short films, and documentaries.
Winners in each category will receive RM5,000 and a trophy, while the Best Film award includes a Creative Content Fund incentive worth RM500,000.
The event will be broadcast live on TV2 and Finas's YouTube channel.
Fans of Malaysian cinema can expect a thrilling evening celebrating the best in local filmmaking.