A China-Malaysia production, 'The Day We Start Again', co-produced by Xingyu Group and the interactive entertainment platform VYBE, and produced by Lomo Pictures, officially began filming on October 6.
Dr. Kervis Soo acts as the Producer, Chief Planner, Scriptwriter, and Director. Aron Koh as Producer, Ryon Lee as Executive Producer, DY Loh as Executive Director, while Eelin Ooi as Production Coordinator.
Ryon Lee said the film follows a group of ordinary people facing deception, the pressures of reality, and the downfall of life while trying to make a movie, before they rediscover the reason to keep going.
The story focuses on two siblings. The older brother returns to the village and sells salted fish after failing in business, while the younger brother comes back from Taiwan after studying in the film field but gets cheated when he finally gets a chance to produce a film. Together with other individuals who have also experienced failure, they strive to end the journey of pursuing that dream.
This film also brings Ryon Lee's observations on the Malaysian film industry and real life, with themes of dreams, faith, and the courage to rise again.
DY Loh said he wants to bring more ideas from the younger generation into the production so that the film retains its narrative depth, while at the same time being fresher and closer to today's audience.
Charlene An Yu Chin plays the role of a woman who has long been caring for an elderly person at the end of their life. Trapped in a heavy and repetitive routine, her life began to change after joining the group's film project.
Bruce Chiu said he accepted the role because he was attracted to the character and hoped to explore a different side of himself through this film. Lay Kar Heng, on the other hand, is taking on his first lead role and hopes to bring joy to the audience while building natural chemistry with the cast.
As Producer, Chief Planner, Scriptwriter, and Director, Dr. Kervis Soo holds four key roles in this project, with deep involvement from planning and story development to the overall creative direction of the filming.
Dr. Kervis Soo said the film was fully funded by him and aimed to bring experiences such as betrayal, accidents, depression, and moments of losing direction to the silver screen.
He hopes this film can remind the audience that difficult times are not the end, and everyone can still choose to start anew. Although the production requires continuous improvement, the team will keep striving until the film is completed.
Approximately 90% of the filming will take place in Malaysia, including Kuala Lumpur and Kluang, with additional filming planned in Luang Prabang, Laos.
The Day We Start Again is currently in the filming phase, expected to be completed by mid-November and scheduled to be released next year.
In addition to film production, The Day We Start Again also connects the content, technology, and media ecosystem under Xingyu Group and its partners, including VYBE App, Shiguang Xingyu Zocco, Prism Media Hub, XY Code, and the AI MCN-related content system. This network encompasses film production, content creator resources, and digital platforms to support content distribution and access for the youth.
As an interactive entertainment platform, VYBE App will become an important link between movies, young users, content creators, and digital entertainment content. Together with the Shiguang Xingyu creator ecosystem, the team plans to expand this film into short videos, artist content, behind-the-scenes recordings, and various social media formats.
Xingyu Group also integrates film content and talent resources with the direction of AI MCN development, while collaborating with the software technology company XY Code to explore new forms of content beyond traditional filmmaking. This project is part of the group's efforts to connect film entertainment, content creation, and digital platforms.
Media communication and brand resources for this project also received support from Prism Media Hub. Prism Media Hub is a partner of BrandThirty and is managed by Desmond Chen and Chali Tew. This team will contribute media planning, content distribution, and digital media resources to support publicity, news coverage, and market exposure for The Day We Start Again through the relationship between film production, VYBE App, Shiguang Xingyu Zan, media, and the digital content ecosystem.
