Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival marks 15th jubilee with September 7-15 shows
Published on: Friday, September 06, 2024
By: Ricardo Unto
Day, KKIFF patron Datuk Adeline Leong and part of the organising team.
Kota Kinabalu: The Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF) is set to mark its 15th anniversary this year with a vibrant celebration from Sept 7-15, featuring a range of screenings, events, and awards that spotlight both local and international cinema.
From Sept 7-14, film enthusiasts can enjoy a diverse mix of genres during the Cinebalu screenings of 29 international and local films, at the City Cineplex, City Mall, here.
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Audiences will experience everything from action and animation to cultural documentaries and experimental films, catering to various tastes.
One of the festival’s highlights is a performance by Ukrainian artist Larissa Kovalchuk, who will showcase the traditional bandura instrument on Opening Day at 2pm, and later during the festival’s Opening Night at 8pm.
Festival Director Jude Day expressed excitement about this year’s line-up, particularly the inclusion of international talents.
“We are thrilled to bring such a diverse range of genres and talents to KKIFF 2024,” she told a press conference on Thursday, encouraging the public to visit the festival website for the complete schedule.
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A notable feature is the screening of “Unbroken Ties”, a film from Myanmar that explores the journey of an orphan, Min, who seeks a new life abroad, only to uncover hidden truths about his past.
This year, KKIFF has also partnered with the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) to introduce a new Pink10 Filmmakers’ Competition category, Explore Sabah.
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This category encourages filmmakers to submit short films of three minutes or less, with the winning entry to be featured in STB’s 2025 advertising campaign.
This new category is in addition to the existing categories of Narrative, Documentary, and a category sponsored by the Kadazandusun Language Foundation (KLF) for Indigenous Language.
Category winners will be awarded the prestigious Golden Kinabalu Award and RM3,000 during the KKIFF Awards Night.
From Sept 8-15, KKIFF will host the fully funded eight-day Sabah Film Lab (SFL) at Ibis Styles Kota Kinabalu.
Eighteen Malaysian filmmakers will receive training from renowned mentors, including Isazaly Isa, Putri Purnama Sugua, Ahmad Yazid (Malaysia), Hikaru Toda (Japan), Mark Overett (Australia), and Roy Taoho (New Zealand).
Participants’ films will premiere during the Awards Night.
The festival will conclude with the Awards Night on Sept 15 at Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu, with Federal Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil attending as Guest of Honour.
Other distinguished guests include National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) Chairperson Datuk Kamil Othman, Finas Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Datuk Azmir Mutalib and Finas Sabah Board Member Yee I-Lann.
The evening will celebrate the achievements of filmmakers and the Sabah Film Lab participants. It will feature local businesses and networking opportunities.
Day said KKIFF remains dedicated to fostering a vibrant film community in Sabah, supporting the arts, and showcasing cinematic talent from across the globe.
“Its 15th-anniversary edition promises to be the most memorable yet, celebrating the festival’s rich history while looking ahead to the future of cinema,” she said.
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