Film to protect endangered Bornean pygmy elephants
KOTA KINABALU (June 22): A feature film to protect and raise awareness about the endangered Bornean pygmy elephants will start filming in Sabah this year.
'Agatis : A Borneo Story' (AABS) has the support of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS) to ensure its success.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Christina Liew, said her ministry has every reason to lend a hand, given the film's potential as a wildlife tourism booster.
'We will render the necessary assistance through our agency, Sabah Wildlife Department (JHL). Firstly, it is a feature film to protect and raise awareness about the endangered Bornean pygmy elephants. Secondly, it would be the first ever film in Malaysia filming in close proximity to these majestic animals under supervision,' she said after a presentation on the film project by the director of Mondo Ab Films Sdn Bhd (MABF), Jeanette Chong Tze Ling, recently.
MABF is a Kota Kinabalu-based production company in Sabah. Present was the director of JHL, Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar.
Agatis (left) and Aki at the Borneo Elephant Sanctuary in Kinabatangan.
Chong, a Sabahan scriptwriter, film director and producer, concurred that the ministry's support is the key to success of AABS, a 90-minute movie featuring Agatis, a four-year-old female pygmy elephant and Aki, a two-year-old male pygmy elephant, from the Borneo Elephant Sanctuary (BES) within the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.
'I thank the minister for her personal assistance. The support from the ministry and Sabah Wildlife Department will bolster the confidence of potential funders and sponsors to come forward to contribute within their capacity.
'This film, my fourth screenplay, is intended not only to be screened in cinemas but also to make its debut at some film festivals,' she said, adding that the move will attract potential local and international filmmakers to produce films in Sabah.
Briefing the minister, the lawyer-turned film producer who is also a martial artist, said: 'Agatis : A Borneo Story' is created with the collaboration of more than 50 years of combined experience in storytelling, wildlife cinematography, and high-quality film-making with very experienced and established production teams.
'This is the logline of the film. Both orphaned children – a young lost boy (Dhiren) and a baby pygmy elephant (Agatis) from two different worlds – found each other in the magical Borneo jungle where they bonded and became entangled in a battle to protect Agatis's species from greedy poachers,' explained Chong who has a passion for filmmaking.
On her rationale behind 'Agatis : A Borneo Story', the film producer stressed that there is a pressing need to raise the level of awareness of the existence of the Bornean pygmy elephant, and emphasise the importance of coexistence through the film production.
'I met Jibius Dausip (the elephant whisperer) in 2023 to learn more about the Bornean elephant and encountered baby Agatis for the very first time,' Chong recalled.
Asked why Sandakan is given the priority for casting (choosing of actors), she attributed this to the location (Kinabatangan), saying it is ideal for the main cast and baby Bornean pygmy elephant to bond before filming starts, together with supervision from BES and their caretakers living in Kinabatangan.
'In July, we are going to do an open casting for the children in Sandakan. We are open to more NGO groups being involved as well as the local people in Kinabatangan.'
Once we have successfully secured the funding needed, we hope to commence filming in mid-August or September, Chong added.
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