Film

The Sunny Side of the Street: HK movie by Vinod Sekhar and PETRA Films earns 6 nominations at Golden Horse

This Southeast Asian project made a splash in one of the most reputed festivals in the world, including a nomination for Best Film

Updated 1 year ago · Published on 30 Sep 2022 1:00PM

The Sunny Side of the Street: HK movie by Vinod Sekhar and PETRA Films earns 6 nominations at Golden Horse — The movie tells the story of a 10-year-old Pakistani refugee boy on the run who finds an unexpected kinship with a Hong Kong taxi driver. – Pic courtesy of PETRA Films, September 30, 2022

by Kalash Nanda Kumar

MALAYSIAN-BORN director Ray Lau’s directorial debut, The Sunny Side of The Street, is set to become a major awards contender after clinching six nominations at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival (TGHFF).

The Sunny Side of the Street garnered nominations in the category of Best New Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film, Best Leading Actor, Best New Performer and Best Cinematography.

The Golden Horse awards are among the most prestigious recognitions for the Chinese language film industry.

The movie follows the story of a 10-year-old Pakistani refugee boy on the run but finds an unexpected kinship with a Hong Kong taxi driver (played by famed actor Anthony Wong). Their journeys charmingly align in this one-of-a-kind movie that is set to travel the festival circuits further.

Anthony Wong (left) with Sahal Zaman in scene from the film. – Pic courtesy of PETRA Films

Director Ray Lau drew many aspects of the story from his own experiences as a Malaysian immigrant in Hong Kong.

In an exclusive interview with The Vibes earlier this year, he said, “the story focuses on what it is like being a refugee in Hong Kong city. I am not a refugee myself, but I put a lot of my personal emotions in it regarding the father-son relationship (or absence of it) because I am not in a close relationship with my family members”.

“Of course, we love each other, but I did not necessarily talk to my father (in particular) in our day-to-day life before I left Malaysia. Then, when I came to Hong Kong the chance of bonding became even distant.

“I felt very lonely growing up in this city, and I needed to learn how to become a man at a young age because when I arrived, I was just 18 (to pursue my studies).”

Director Ray Lau says the story focuses on the realities of being a refugee in Hong Kong city. – Pic courtesy of PETRA Films

The movie is also the debut project of PETRA Films, headed by Darren Shaw and PETRA Group chairman Datuk (Dr) Vinod Sekhar.

Producer Peter Yam commended the vision of the production company saying, “I remember specifically, that they are pushing for humanity and impact, and that is striking. To create a long-lasting impact, PETRA Films has been very helpful in allowing us to work independently with a good backing of production-related consultation.”

“I’m so thrilled and pleasantly surprised that as a Malaysian company and working with a Malaysian director we have achieved such recognition from a prestigious award like Golden Horse, where the standards are incredibly high,” said Vinod.

(From left) Lau, producer Peter Yam and the project’s main investors, PETRA Group chairman Datuk (Dr) Vinod Sekhar and PETRA Films head Darren Shaw. – Pic courtesy of PETRA Films

PETRA Films, a part of Malaysian conglomerate PETRA Group’s media division already has plans to announce two more global projects soon.

Another Malaysian project to earn a nomination is Between the Stars and Waves by Lau Kek Huat in the category of Best Documentary Short Film.

The short documentary explores the contentious issue of Sabah’s stateless children of which there are more than 50,000, who have been denied their right to public education and healthcare.

Ajoomma, by Singaporean filmmaker He Shuming, garnered four Golden Horse nominations including a nomination for its lead actress, 61-year-old Hong Huifang, which is a first for the country. – The Vibes, September 30, 2022