Local Award-winning Animation Films in Theatres

The Malaysia Animation Film Festival 2024 (MAFF 2024) is screening local short animation films at Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) from the 3rd to 30th October. The collaborative effort between GSC and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) through its 'Kre8tif!' platform, MAFF 2024 serves as a platform for digital content creators and filmmakers to shine. These captivating animated stories created by Malaysian talents will be showcased in selected locations such as Kuala Lumpur (Mid Valley, BBCC, 1Utama, IOI City Mall), Penang (Gurney Plaza), Johor (Paradigm JB), Sarawak (CityOne), Sabah (Suria KK) and Melaka (Dataran Pahlawan).

 This year’s festival showcases five short animation films, created by students from The One Academy. Following an extensive selection process evaluated by a panel of judges, the line-up includes award-winning films; ‘VOW’, ‘Dead Da’, ‘Strings’, ‘My Love’, and ‘Fish Memory’. Movie enthusiasts and aspiring filmmakers can look forward to being entertained and inspired by these impressive works. 

The films ‘VOW’ and ‘My Love’ delve into the heartfelt themes of love and the deep connection shared with a soulmate. Both films beautifully capture the emotional journey of embracing love and encountering unexpected revelations. In contrast, ‘Strings’ explores the relatable experiences of friendship as kids. These films have well-executed animation and visuals that drives the entire story.

“For most of the film, we hope the viewers will find it as a tragic love story,” said the ‘VOW’ team members when asked what the audience can expect from their animated short film.

Packed with unpredictable plot twists and jump scares, films ‘Dead Da’ and ‘Fish Memory’ are sure to leave audiences on the edge of their seats as they witness the eerie yet interesting storylines. ‘Dead Da’ stands out for its mix of horror and unexpected humour, while ‘Fish Memory’ takes a more serious tone, ending with an impactful message that aims to raise awareness on a valuable topic. The attention to detail and memorable story makes it exciting to watch.

“Of course, since we did a horror, maybe horror comedy film, the most we wish is that people got a little scared. We hope this reminds them of their childhood nightmares,” said the ‘Dead Da’ team.

Each film showcases the skills of both Digital Animation and Illustration students. From character designing, costume and set designing, to 3D modelling, animation and adding texture, each film was the outcome of a collaborative effort amongst students across multiple disciplines. These short films have earned recognitions from their fair share of international and local awards such as ‘Rookie Awards’, ‘Three Acts of Goodness’, ‘Kancil Awards’, ‘Asiagraph’ and many more.

“Between the Illustration and Digital Animation team, I would say managing the workload was tough, as many of us juggled multiple roles. We regularly discussed improvements and conducted meetings to ensure effective collaboration from everyone,” said the Producer of ‘Dead Da’.

Being in an industry-standard environment during the students’ final year was indeed a struggle as it took constant communication and understanding from all members. “Despite facing many obstacles throughout the process, the dedication and hard work of the entire group paid off. The end result was a film we were all proud of, showcasing our collective efforts and creativity!” the Line Producer of ‘Fish Memory’ added.

As fresh graduates, this is a huge opportunity that not only boosts their confidence but also creates awareness amongst the public on the extraordinary animations produced by Malaysians. The Malaysia Animation Film Festival 2024 (MAFF 2024) has played a pivotal role in supporting these talented individuals by giving them the platform to showcase their masterpieces to a wide audience.

The One Academy is committed to providing the best art education programmes and continues to nurture its students passionately through its “Masters Train Masters” coaching philosophy, which has been practised for 33 years, by providing diploma and degree courses in Visual Communication Design, Digital Animation, Digital Media Design, Film Visual Effects, Interior Architecture & Design, Illustration, Fine Arts, Paris Fashion Design & Pattern Making, Computer Science & Game Design. For more information, visit www.toa.edu.my or call 03-7875 5510 or e-mail your enquiries to [email protected]