Daily Express Subscriber
Sign in to your account.

Kota Kinabalu: The Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival’s (KKIFF) Cinebalu Screenings continue today (Sunday) with five films at the City Cineplex, City Mall, here.

Kicking off the afternoon shows at 2pm would be the short animation film “Time Flies” from the Philippines.

Familiar clicks, whirs, beeps and hums fill the room as you gaze through the lens and pixels of a computer.  

Watch as Kado, a young boy, goes through the many ups and downs of life from childhood up to adulthood in this short film.

“Time Flies” will be followed by another film from the Philippines, “Bulawan Nga Usa” (Golden Deer).

Makoy is faced with the challenge of confronting life on his own after the death of his grandfather, who has brought him up, telling his stories about mountains, magical creatures, and the special Golden Deer.  

Feeling lost and unwilling to live with his mother’s new family, Makoy embarks on a journey, hoping to find the golden deer.  

Along the way, he meets Minggo, forming a deep bond.  Together, they face events that will make them understand life even better.

Director Kenneth Estrebor Dela Cruz said “Golden Deer” is a parable about life.  

“The film encourages us to pursue our dreams, just as Makoy and Minggo pursue the golden deer. 

“It is a journey of self-discovery – what we can do when we are full of doubts that prevent us from moving forward.  

“Let us follow our dreams and be grateful for the kindness we receive along the way,” he said.

The third film to be screened in the afternoon would be “China Beast”, a short drama/fantasy film from Taiwan.

In the film, Allen’s father is missing – he has not returned from work.  

This reminds Allen again about the China Beast in the logging area.  Allen is worried that the China Beast has eaten his father.  

He starts the journey to find his father, hoping Arbi can take him to save his father.

Starting the evening screenings at 8pm would be the short psychological thriller film “The Eleventh Body” from Indonesia.

The film tells the story of Tusar, a homestay owner, who faces the sudden death of a tourist, Sarah, during her stay.  

Afraid that his business will be in trouble, Tusar finds a way to get rid of the smell of Sarah’s dead body using the branch of the Taru Menyan tree.  

Although he feels he has succeeded in solving the problem, his actions lead him into disaster.

Following “The Eleventh Body” is a feature film from France, “Ride Above”.

Born and raised with horses, Zoe leads a happy life at her parents’ racehorse stables, driven by the dream of becoming a jockey like her father. 

When Beautiful Intrigue gives birth to a foal that Zoe names Tempest, the girl is the first to see in him the champion her parents have been waiting and working for all their lives. 

The winner she will ride to victory. But Zoe’s dreams are shattered one stormy night when a panicked Tempest accidentally injures the girl, leaving her permanently “disabled”. 

Furious at life, Zoe slips into despair and pulls her entire family down with her, especially her father, who is on the verge of losing everything. 

But with the unwavering support of her family and the help of Seb, a stable hand with a gift for communicating with horses, Zoe will seek to conquer the impossible in pursuit of her dream.

All films have English subtitles. Visit the official website, www.kkiff.com, for the complete festival schedule.

Meanwhile, there will also be two Pink10 online sessions today (Sunday 8).

At 2pm, the Pink10 Filmmakers’ Competition Feedback Session will feature the jury – Hassan Muthalib, Bebbra Mailin and Geoffrey Sinn.

The judges will give general feedback and comment on all the films submitted for the competition, aside from providing tips and tricks on filmmaking and storytelling.

They will also do a question-and-answer session for the public.

Following that, there will be an exciting webinar on the topic “What is Sabah’s Film Style?” moderated by Hassan as he speaks to Sabahan filmmakers about their experience in the industry.

The panel comprises Michelle Xin, Katak Chua and Timothy Stephen.

Both online sessions are open to the public. Check KKIFF’s official Facebook page for the Zoom link.