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BMW Group M’sia Premieres ‘Terbit 23’, a BMW Shorties Production by Taufiq Kamal

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From L-R: Mr. Alan Harris, Managing Director & CEO of BMW Group Malaysia, Taufiq Kamal, Director of Terbit 23 and Mr. Sashi Ambi, Head of Corporate Communications, BMW Group Malaysia

BMW Group Malaysia premiered ‘Terbit 23’, the latest BMW Shorties production by 2014 grand prize winner, Taufiq Kamal. As with his last year’s winning short film ‘Rozita binti Roslan’, Taufiq Kamal’s newest short film further demonstrates his distinctive trademark film making technique of reimagining cinematic conventions and traditional narratives.

‘Terbit 23’ tells the story of Aditya, a struggling writer who finds himself in a state of flux when he meets Airis. The 17-minute short film explores perspectives on the significance of life, wherein the characters’ thoughts, perceptions, and feelings are demonstrated through a wide range of film making styles. With the absence of linear narrative and the use of various abstracting techniques for each pivotal scene, the short film explores the permeable border between drama and documentary in a way that evokes recognition, melancholy and joy, while sticking to the mundane experiences of a man’s life.

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From L-R: Dali bin Abdul Azis, Main Actor of Terbit 23, Bianca Li Wei Brand, Main Actress of Terbit 23, Mr. Alan Harris and Taufiq Kamal.

The main characters, Aditya and Airis, are depicted by Dali Bin Abdul Azis and Bianca Li Wei Brand respectively. Both actor and actress also made their acting debut with ‘Terbit 23’.

“When my production crew and I received the RM 75,000 production grant from BMW Group Malaysia, we were very excited and passionate about working on a story which would continue to take an opposing stance on mainstream film making culture. My goal is to push the artform in radical new directions and inspire future productions both in Malaysia and all over the world to do the same.” said Taufiq Kamal at the premiere.

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The cast and crew of Terbit 23 with Taufiq Kamal, Mr. Alan Harris and Mr. Sashi Ambi

During the premiere, Mr. Alan Harris, Managing Director & CEO of BMW Group Malaysia said, “The BMW Shorties was introduced as a platform to discover budding Malaysian film makers and to push the boundaries of their film making abilities for them be recognized for it. In Taufiq Kamal, we were able to identify an individual who pushes the boundaries of conventional film art who we believe will further invigorate the Malaysian film industry. The BMW Shorties is proud to have discovered Taufiq and his special skill in the art of film making and we wish him much success in the future.”

The BMW Shorties 2015 competition is currently open for entries until Monday, November 2nd 2015. For further information regarding the BMW Shorties and how to participate, visit the official BMW Shorties website at www.bmwshorties.com.my or the official BMW Shorties Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bmwshorties.