'Abang Adik' swept the top three prizes at Italy's 25th Far East Film Festival. Photo: Handout
The film Abang Adik has made history as the first Chinese-language film to receive Asean Records recognition for its success in securing the most international awards, festival nominations, and global screenings.
The National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) said the film, directed and written by Jin Ong, had garnered attention at international film festivals since 2023, winning 28 international awards and receiving 69 nominations at various film festivals worldwide.
"Since December 2023, Abang Adik has been screened in Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Italy, Thailand, and China. In January 2025, director Jin Ong and the film’s creative team will bring Abang Adik to the silver screen in Japan, and now they have received another extraordinary honour,” Finas said in a statement on Monday (Feb 10).
According to Fina, the film has grossed RM5.7mil in Malaysia, HKD2.8mil in Hong Kong, TWD100mil in Taiwan, and RMB3mil in China, proving its widespread popularity.
The film’s international journey began in 2020 at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Project Promotion, where it won the FPP Visionary Award and MirrorFiction Story Award, paving the way for its production.
"Abang Adik began its journey to international film festivals, making an impact at the 37th Fribourg International Film Festival, winning the Ecumenical Jury Award and Audience Award. Its success continued at the 25th Far East Film Festival, with three major wins: First Time Director, Golden Mulberry Award, and Black Dragon Award.
"The film also won the Uncaged Award for Best Feature Film Competition at the 22nd New York Asian Film Festival and received honours at the 17th FIRST International Film Festival Xining, where lead actor Wu Kang-ren won the Best Performance award, and Abang Adik was recognised as one of the most anticipated Chinese-language films at the China Golden Rooster & Hundred Flowers Film Festival,” Finas said.
According to Finas, at today’s appreciation ceremony, Jin Ong expressed his joy over the recognition, considering it a significant milestone for Abang Adik and a great honour for the entire team, including the cast, crew, investors, and production.
The film’s producer, Lee Sinje, reflected on the film’s journey, emphasising the sincerity in its creation to voice the stories of marginalised communities.
"We started with a small dream, giving a voice to those often sidelined and creating a Malaysian film that could touch the hearts of audiences worldwide. We never imagined this journey would resonate with so many hearts across different countries,” she said in the statement. – Bernama
