Notes from Kundasang - CELCOMDIGI CHRISTMAS
It’s rare to be given a brief with this much heart. Rarer still to be told: go ahead, treat this like a film. So that’s what we did.
Every morning, as the fog rolled in and the peak of Kinabalu glowed gold, we reminded ourselves that this wasn’t about flashy cuts or clever copy. It was about emotion. Space. Silence. And music, not just as a sound, but as a bridge between people.
We shot in real homes, worked with local crew, and leaned into the textures of Sabah - its people, its landscapes, its traditions. There’s something about Kundasang that makes you feel small in the best way possible. You slow down. You breathe differently. You start to notice things. That energy found its way into every frame.
We’re grateful to the team at M&C Saatchi and CelcomDigi for believing in the power of story, and for giving us the space to make something that, for us, feels more like a short film than a commercial.
It’s called The Unexpected Gift, but the real gift was getting to tell this story in a place as magical as Sabah.
Watch the film here: https://youtu.be/n0vYwQw0xZ4?si=hDMl_v1IYWcEudcm
Motif at Luang Prabang Film Festival 2020
We might not be able to enjoy the famed open air cinemas of Luang Prabang this year, but you bet we’ll be there once the border re-opens. For now, watch Motif online, for free at https://watch.lpfilmfest.org/film/motif/
The Hollywood Reporter: 'Motif': Film Review
Malaysian director Nadiah Hamzah’s Motif, a crime thriller that sits at the intersection of genre and critique
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/motif-review-1206371
