15 iconic Malaysian movies to watch

Sepet is a 2005 Malaysian Malay-language teen romantic comedy-drama film set in Ipoh, Malaysia. Directed by the late Yasmin Ahmad, it tells of a love that blooms between a Chinese boy and a Malay girl. “Sepet” is a Malay word which, in this context, refers to the “slit eyes” of the Chinese.

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As a trailblazer in Malaysian cinema, Sepet remains a timeless exploration of love that transcends boundaries, echoing the sentiment that, ultimately, the human experience is a tapestry woven from threads of connection, understanding, and the courage to defy societal norms. The film would go on to win the Le Grand Prix du Jury at the 27th Créteil International Women’s Film Festival in France and the Best Asian Film Award at the 18th Tokyo International Film Festival.

The Journey is a 2014 Malaysian Chinese-language comedy-drama film directed by Chiu Keng Guan and written by Ryon Lee. The film, which starred Ben Andrew Pfeiffer, Lee Sai Peng, and Joanne Yew Hong Im, follows a father who finally allows his daughter to wed an English lad with the condition that he would follow him on a journey around the nation to deliver their wedding invitation.

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The Journey was invited to be screened at the 16th Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy, and it won four awards from six nominations at the 27th Malaysian Film Festival (including Best Non-Malay Language Film).

Set in the 1980s against the backdrop of a nation striving for unity, Ola Bola is an uplifting fictional tale about an unlikely multicultural team of footballers who have to overcome their disagreements and personal struggles for a chance on the international stage.

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Inspired by true events, this original story by Chiu Keng Guan celebrates glorious days when the entire nation stood as one behind their triumphant national team. More than a sports film, Ola Bola is a celebration of Malaysia’s diversity, a reminder of the strength found in unity, and an ode to the indomitable human spirit.

Guang, a 2018 Malaysian drama film by Quek Shio Chuan, tells the story of an autistic young man with a hidden musical talent who struggles to find a job and his relationship with his brother. Wen Guang (played by Kyo Chen) is a young man who is autistic, he cannot focus and struggles to socialise with other people. His younger brother (played by Ernest Chong) wants him to look for a job so they can share their burden.

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As Wen Guang tries to find a job, he continues his secret passion, collecting and finding the perfect glasses and uncovering a hidden talent. With its compelling narrative and resonant performances, this Malaysian cinematic gem has earned acclaim not only for its portrayal of autism but also for its universal themes that transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Tiger Stripes is a 2023 Malaysian Malay-language body horror film written and directed by Amanda Nell Eu in her directorial debut. It follows the story of 12-year-old Zaffan (played by Zafreen Zairizal), who lives in a small rural community in Malaysia. As she hits puberty, her body changes at an alarming rate, and she begins noticing strange changes in her body that she has no control over.

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The film premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2023, where it won the Critics' Week Grand Prize. It was also selected as the Malaysian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

Directed by Perak-born filmmaker Jin Ong, Abang Adik follows the story of two undocumented orphans in Malaysia who adopted each other as ‘brothers’ when growing up. Set in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, the movie captures their unique and compelling journey.

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The film has bagged multiple awards, including the Best Lead Performance, Jury Award, and Audience Award at the Sea Okinawa Pan-Pacific International Film Festival, as well as the Golden Mulberry Audience Award, the Black Dragon Critics’ Prize, and the White Mulberry Award for the best first feature at the Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy.

Malaysia’s film landscape witnessed a groundbreaking moment with Pendatang, Malaysia’s first entirely crowdfunded movie, quickly becoming the talk of the town when it premiered on December 21, 2023.

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The dystopian thriller, the brainchild of writer Lim Boon Siang and director Ken Kin, centres on a Chinese-Malaysian family that’s forced to relocate to a rural area after a minor traffic offence at a time when different races are forbidden to mix. Then, their world takes a turn when they encounter a lost and scared Malay girl hiding in their new house after they had been relocated to a Chinese-only settlement.

Helmed by Amanda Nell Eu in her directorial debut, Tiger Stripes premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Critics’ Week Grand Prize. The coming-of-age body horror film was also selected as Malaysia’s entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

Read more: Fight or flight: How ‘Tiger Stripes’ director Amanda Nell Eu found her voice as a filmmaker

Newcomer Zafreen Zairizal plays 12-year-old Zaffan, who is a rebellious and carefree girl until she starts to experience horrifying physical changes to her body, setting off an escalating chain of events that ultimately forces her to finally reveal her true self—her wrath, rage, and beauty—to everyone.

Follow the inspiring journey of Malaysian para-badminton player Cheah Liek Hou, an 11-time winner (both Class SU5 singles and doubles events) of the BWF Para-Badminton World Championships. He also became the first Malaysian athlete to win a medal in para-badminton at the 2020 Summer Paralympics and the first-ever Paralympic champion in para-badminton.

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Cheah was born with Erb’s palsy, which causes his right hand to have less strength and stability. He went from being an ordinary badminton player to a paralympic player after suffering from brachial never numbness, competing in able-bodied and para-badminton tournaments.

Directed by Adrian Teh, Gold will centre on Cheah’s astonishing feat of winning a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics. The film stars Jack Tan (of 2023’s Abang Adik) as Cheah, Farid Kamil as Rashid Sidek, and Josiah Hogan as Nova Armada.

Directed by Andre Chiew and Nazim Shah The Experts tells the story of five siblings–played by Aaron Aziz, Syafiq Kyle, Remy Ishak, Mimi Lana, and Ray Dapdap–who have abandoned their thieving days and are forced out of retirement to carry out their biggest heist yet. After a decade of hard-earned peace, they’re ruthlessly dragged back into their treacherous past by a notorious gangster.

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Be prepared for a wild ride as you explore an unfamiliar genre for a local Malaysian production. The Experts will take you through a heart-pounding heist with plot twists aplenty, family drama and the resurfacing of old grudges, and the reveal of a shocking family tragedy,

Showing a different side of his range in Dough, rising star Syafiq Kyle plays Faiz, who returns to his hometown after his father’s death to keep the family bakery from losing customers to a modern competitor without turning their backs on tradition.

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The heartwarming film, which was shot entirely in the charming old town of Ipoh, takes us through Faiz’s nostalgic memories and what it means to be happy as he struggles to find his footing and decide on the future of the family business. The down-to-earth vibe of the film certainly resonated with Malaysians, as it spent five weeks in the Top 10 Films in Malaysia chart upon its release on Netflix.

Where Dough taps into how a city boy rediscovers the old-world charm of a historical city he grew up in, La Luna explores what happens when a bold city girl opens a lingerie shop in a conservative village.

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Shot entirely in the royal town of Kuala Kangsar, Perak, the film stars a stellar cast that includes Sharifah Amani, Shaheizy Sam, Wan Hanafi Su, Namron, and Iedil Dzuhrie Alaudin. The film has also made its rounds in the festival circuit, namely the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival in Indonesia.

Harimau Malaya: The Untold Journey, inspired by true events and launched by the Malaysian Football Association (FAM), provides a new perspective directed by Datuk Afdlin Shauki. The film focuses on the struggles of the Harimau Malaya squad during the qualification stages leading to their merit-based qualification for the 2022 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup Final.

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Starring an all-star cast, diverse of Sophia Albarakbah, Zahirah Macwilson, Aiman Hakim Redza, Tony Eusoff, Vanidah Imran, Khir Rahman, Douglas Lim, Fattah Amin, Kavin Jay, Fazura, Namron, Bell Ngasri, and Azhar Sulaiman, Harimau Malaya: The Untold Journey takes the audience through the journey to qualifying for the AFC Cup Final after 42 years and is testament to how the sport unites the people of Malaysia.

Takluk: Lahad Datu is another Malaysian film with a real-life story to tell. About a decade ago, Malaysia was shaken by the news of a few hundred Filipinos known as the Royal Security Force of the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo being sent by former self-proclaimed Sultan of the Sulu Sultanate Jamalul Kiram III to claim the throne of the Sulu Sultanate.

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What unfolded was a terrifying invasion in Lahad Datu, Sabah–one of the country’s darkest incidents to this day–which forced the VAT69 Commando crew to fight to defend the sovereignty of the homeland from attacks by terrorist groups, becoming known as the Lahad Datu 2013 standoff or ‘Operation Daulat’.

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