LA-based company acquires worldwide rights to Malaysian horror film 'Sumpahan Jerunei'

Sumpahan Jerunei stars Bront Palarae and Uqasha Senrose among them. Photo: Handout

American company House Of Film has acquired worldwide rights, except Asia, to Malaysian horror film Sumpahan Jerunei, reports Variety.

Directed by Jason Chong (Adiwiraku, Gemencheh Boys), the film stars Bront Palarae, Uqasha Senrose, Syafie Naswip, Tony Eusoff, Daiyan Trisha and Amerul Affendi. It is produced by Datin Wendy Wong and Datuk Nancie Foo from Produksi Seni 2020 and showcases the traditions and rituals of the Melanau tribe in Sarawak.

It was originally released here in July this year.

Sumpahan Jerunei will be known as Curse Of The Totem in the international market.

It’s reported that House Of Film will "launch the film to international buyers at the upcoming American Film Market".

Sumpahan Jerunei has proven to have a good track record already with global audiences when it made its round at international film festivals earlier this year.

So far it has won five trophies at the Florence Film Festival in Italy and one at Paris Film Awards in France including for Best Director (Chong), Best Cinematographer (Harris Hue Abdullah) and Best Original Score (Sharon Paul).

It also received recognition at the New York Cinematographer Awards in the Best Cinematographer (feature film), Best Actress (Uqasha) and Best Supporting Actor (Tony) categories.

The story, said to be inspired by real events, tells of a group of people who goes to Sarawak for an expedition. One of them is Dr Sani – an archaeology professor – who is there to look for his wife who disappeared while studying a Jerunei totem.

But the spirit of the place soon gets to the team, and they begin experiencing hallucinations, excruciating pain and nightmares.

Variety quoted a House Of Film representative saying this about Sumpahan Jerunei: “This is an especially distinctive urban legend story that keeps you on the edge-of-your-seat knowing it is inspired by true events.”