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The Star
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Director Ariff Zulkarnain delves into topic of drugs in his new film 'Baga'
After completing critically acclaimed projects such as last year's feature film Doh , 2021's Dukun Diva and the hit series One Cent Thief , director Ariff Zulkarnain has embarked on a passion project rooted in his hometown of Terengganu. Last year, he returned home to shoot Baga , a film he wrote that examines two pressing issues in Terengganu – the longstanding drug crisis and the decline of traditional livelihoods, such as bot penambang (small ferry boat that connects riverside villages). 'I feel like my journey as a filmmaker isn't complete if I don't make a proper film about my roots,' said Ariff of Baga , which he self-financed and co-produced with One Cent Thief actor Syafiq Kyle and filmmaker Syafiq Yusof. According to Ariff, baga means 'paranoid' in the Terengganu dialect. 'It's also one of the side effects of consuming pil kuda, a drug similar to syabu (methamphetamine), commonly found in the rural areas of Kelantan and Terengganu,' he said. 'We've been shooting Baga since February last year. But because I was also involved in several projects with Astro Shaw, production was slightly delayed. It was only two months ago that we finally submitted the film to the Film Censorship Board (LPF).' Pok Awang (Wan Hanafi Su, right) is an ageing boatman whose profession is rapidly vanishing. Baga follows Jani (Amir Ahnaf of Kahar: Kapla High Council ), a pil kuda addict and small-time drug dealer. He also works part-time for Pok Awang (Wan Hanafi Su, Bunohan ), an ageing boatman whose profession is rapidly vanishing. Pok Awang sees Jani as his successor, hoping to pass on his skills and legacy. However, Jani's world unravels when his girlfriend, Melur (Amirah Razak, Lubuk ), reveals she is pregnant with his child. Terrified of what other villagers will say, Jani desperately tries to raise money for an abortion. His solution is to ask his dealer for a larger drug supply to sell. But after smoking the product himself and getting high, he loses the entire batch. Worse, he lands himself on the police radar. Determined to portray Jani's reality as authentically as possible, Ariff not only cast actors originally from Terengganu and Kelantan, but also included scenes depicting drug use. 'We worked closely with the actors, including lead actor Amir, for those scenes. We had rehearsals to ensure he understood how an addict would realistically behave and consume drugs. 'Of course, we didn't use real drugs ... but the smoke effect and burning process were made to look as realistic as possible.' As a result, LPF wanted Ariff to cut 16 scenes from the film. 'The scenes in question mostly depict characters smoking drugs. LPF wants them removed, but we're currently appealing to retain some of them. We'll see what they decide,' he told the press in March. Jani's world unravels when his girlfriend (Amirah Razak) reveals she is pregnant with his child. Asked why it was important to keep those scenes, Ariff stressed their relevance to the narrative. 'For a long time, whenever we make films about drug addiction, we're told not to show drug use explicitly, for fear it might encourage imitation. 'But we included those scenes because they show how drugs destroy lives. 'If we remove them, audiences won't fully understand or empathise with the main character – a drug addict who turns to dealing as a means of survival. The emotional impact of the story would be lost.' Having seen firsthand how drugs affect not only users but also those around them, Ariff insisted that these scenes cannot be excluded. 'It's become a way of life for many – living just to buy drugs. 'These are mostly people from the B40 income group, such as construction workers, fishermen, lorry drivers. 'That's why I feel it's my responsibility to tell this story and raise awareness.' That said, Ariff is open to removing particularly sensitive content. 'For example, there's a scene where a schoolboy in uniform buys and uses drugs. I understand the concern, and I'm OK with taking that out,' he said. Since Ariff has funded the project independently, he's unsure what the next steps will be if the cuts are enforced. 'At the moment, we're not planning to reshoot. We're not backed by a big studio like Astro Shaw or Primeworks. It's just me, Syafiq Kyle and Syafiq Yusof. 'So yes, if the cuts go through, we'll be facing significant losses.' In the latest update, Ariff told StarLifestyle that he's currently in the process of making a second appeal. He's also exploring a collaboration with National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) as well as Women, Family and Community Development Ministry for the film's release.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Azira Shafinaz gets international attention since Asia Pacific Film Fest win
31 Jan - Azira Shafinaz recently admitted that she has received various offers from international production companies following her Best Supporting Actress win at the 61st Asia Pacific Film Festival. The actress and member of De Fam, who spoke to the media recently, stated that she has received some offers after these international delegations saw her performance in "Indera", the movie that enabled her to win the said accolade. "But we're still in talks about it. I don't want to talk too much about this because as I said, everything is still in discussion. But praise be to God, winning the award has opened doors for me for international market," she said. The actress, who recently made her return to the second season of the hit drama "One Cent Thief", said that she still has her limits when it comes to roles. "I will not do scenes that goes against the religion and our culture. That is the kind of thing that we have to consider when we work with overseas productions," she added. At the same time, Azira admitted that she felt sad that people outside Malaysia seemed to recognise her talents more than her own country. "Maybe here in Malaysia, we care more about popularity than talent. I am not talking about me, but generally. We have to give more opportunities to those who have potential," she added. (Photo Source: Azira IG)
