Pavane for an Infant movie review: Fish Liew in absorbing Malaysian ‘baby hatch' drama
By turns absorbing and unsatisfying, Malaysian drama Pavane for an Infant throws a spotlight on a thankless vocation in dire need of compassionate support, but does so at the expense of a propulsive narrative upon which to hang its pointed observations.
Malaysian-born actress Fish Liew Chi-yu returns to her homeland after developing a robust career in the Hong Kong film industry to play a worker at a
baby hatch centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Amid this vibrant, multicultural society, the services of this facility – where babies can be anonymously left – are in constant demand, but they also draw ire and violent criticism from some sectors who condemn their work as amoral and in direct violation of religious traditions.
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Pavane for an Infant is written and directed by Chong Keat Aun, who made a splash with his previous feature,
Snow in Midsummer (2023), which addressed the violent post-election protests that ravaged the Malaysian capital back in 1969.
Chong's new film reinforces his intention to dissect his nation's complex identity, where Muslims, Christians, Hindus and a variety of indigenous groups wrestle to live together harmoniously.
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