KUCHING: La Promenade Mall will host the 19th Mini Film Festival and Arts Festival on July 6 to 9.
There will be free screenings of over 60 films in three different halls at the community mall along the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway.
“Thanks to all the sponsors, including HSL, and supporters of the festival, the entry is entirely free. But you'll need to register first to get the free entry," festival director Yow Chong Lee said.
“On behalf of the organisers, our sincere thanks to HSL. Their support has allowed us to make this event much better than before,” added Yow, who is from the Applied and Fine Arts Faculty of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.
The four-day event will feature shorts from south east Asia, Japan and the US and two feature-length films: KITA by Nova Goh, Obake by Nakao Hiromichi.
Selected films will include questions time with their makers after screening.
Highlights should include “The Blessing”, “Carousel”, “Funeral for Two” and the documentary “The Absent Guest”, “Garek”, “Kumbang” and “The Flying Snail”.
Topics explored by filmmakers include loss, beautifully shot cinematic portraits, movies about overlooked societal issues and more.
Shorts like “Sebayan” by Sarawakian director Jeycobs Leroy, about siblings experiencing a funeral for the first time, and “Phone Call Man Woman” by Lim Kean Hian, about a scam syndicate, are also keenly anticipated.
“For the film festival awards, there are 20 works nominated. The awards night will cap off the event. This festival at La Promenade is really not one to be missed for any movie or art lover,” Yow said.
“Interestingly, we’re also going to have question time with the festival’s juries. Please see our website for the full details.”
Mini arts exhibition and four workshops will be held for aspiring filmmakers and artists.
Among them are “Improvisation and Arts of Storytelling” by actor Rashid Salleh, “A Film Producer’s Journey” by producer Nandita Solomon (who is behind “Interchange”, “Bunohan: Return to Murder”, and “Imaginur”), and “Fun with Watercolour” by Sarawakian artist Sylvester Jussem.
Yow said the 19th edition of the festival has the theme of “(Un)Trapped”.
“It gives us hope for new possibilities, fantasy and imagination that we may never have thought of. I hope the films will prompt people to think outside-the-box, confront our own fears and face unfamiliarity for the betterment of ourselves and others”.
Since opening in 2020, La Promenade Mall by HSL has positioned itself as an arts-supporting community mall.
The mall has hosted sape musician Alena Murang’s solo art show, Sarawak Artists Society’s annual exhibitions, and most recently, the Borneo Illustration and Creative Festival.
After the film fest, HSL will hold an indigenous music event with At Adau.
YOW: For the festival awards, there are 20 works nominated. The awards night will cap off the event. This festival at La Promenade is not one to be missed for any movie or art lover.
MEANINGFUL: A scene from “Sebayan”, one of the shorts that will be screened at La Promenade Mall.
DIVERSITY: Enjoy the uniqueness of culture from “KITA”, one of the two feature-length films.
LANDSCAPE: La Promenade Mall is located strategically along the busy Kuching-Samarahan Expressway.
For Chinese & Malay versions
For film festival info, visit linktr.ee/minifilmfestival. For community mall updates, visit lapromenademall.com.my or search @lapromenademall on social media.