Seventeen

In the town of Batu Pahat, 17-year-old Lim Jia Rong, who struggles with Bahasa Malaysia, attempts to memorize his Malay speech but is suddenly interrupted. Instead of continuing, he wastes his time trying to escape from learning.

One of the things I treasure most about this project is that the characters were played by my real sister, my youngest brother, his close friend, and one of my close friends. When I was writing the characters, I naturally drew from their real-life backgrounds, which I think helped make their performances feel more genuine. Since I know them quite well, it felt a little easier to guide them during the process. Honestly, it was a simple joy to be able to create something together with the people I care about.

I’m also very thankful to my late great-grandmother for letting me film in her house. Even though she has passed away, her home holds a lot of special memories for me. Being able to include it in this film means a lot to me.