FANGORIA Studios, a new production company launched by the renowned American genre film magazine Fangoria, has announced their first movie - ‘Sitora’.
It is inspired by a lost 1964 horror film – ‘Sitora Harimau Jadian’ – that was written and directed by Malaysian entertainment legend P. Ramlee, and was shown at least once on RTM before being apparently destroyed in a flood.
The story is focused on a tyrannical shaman who exaggerates the threat of a supernatural half-man, half-tiger in order to maintain his feudal control. The film unravels current events in an unexpected setting, forcing viewers to examine thorny issues with a fresh perspective.
Filming will take place in Malaysia and filmed in Malay. The production will focus on practical effects and real village locations.
It will be directed by Diffan Sina Norman, a Kuala Lumpur-born, Los Angeles-based artist, filmmaker and writer, whose work has been featured at Sundance, SXSW, Rotterdam and Clermont Ferrand. Actor Wan Hanafi Su is attached to play Sir.
‘Sitora’ was a recipient of a Finas Feature Film Development Grant, an official selection at the Southeast Asian Film Lab, and an official selection at the Network of Asian Fantastic Films Project Spotlight.
“‘Sitora’ is a perfect example of who we are,” Fangoria Studios wrote in a press release. “[Our] mission is to celebrate genre filmmaking by providing a platform for scary stories with deep roots in culture, folklore, legends and the macabre on the international stage.”
“We believe that horror is truly global and has cross-demographic appeal. Fear is universal. When it comes to horror, everyone screams in the same language.” – The Vibes, July 8, 2021
