LOCAL film Lelaki Harapan Dunia (English title Men Who Save The World), written and directed by Liew Seng Tat has been selected as part of the cinema-on-demand programme organised by I Like Cinema in France.
It will also be competing at the 33rd Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran, Iran in the East Panorama section (to be held from April 25 to May 2).
Liew developed Lelaki Harapan Dunia at the Cannes Director’s Residence – Cinefondation and participated at the 2011 Sundance Screenwriters Lab. The film is funded by organisations from 7 countries and is a co-production between Malaysia, The Netherlands, Germany and France.
Lelaki Harapan Dunia was released in cinemas in Malaysia last November. Since its world premiere at the Locarno International Film Festival in August 2014, it has been selected and screened at numerous international film festivals around the world including the renowned Toronto, Busan, Rotterdam, Gothenburg, Hong Kong and many more.
Lelaki Harapan Dunia stars Wan Hanafi Su,Harun Salim Bachik, Soffi Jikan, Jalil Hamid and Azhan Rani and Othman Hafsham. Cinematography is by Gay Hian Teoh, known for his exceptional works in films At The End Of Daybreak, Opera Jawa, Paloh, Embun and Spinning Gasing.
The idea of behind the film, according to Liew, came from a New Straits Times article about the tradition of house-moving practice in rural areas, traditionally known as “angkat rumah”.