"Avakas" selected for London, San Francisco film festivals
12 Nov – Sabah's "indigenous" local film, as director Marc Abas calls it, "Avakas" is making Malaysia proud on the international stage as it has been selected for several international film festivals.
Its latest achievement is earning the 'Honorable Mention' at London Rocks International Film Festival (LARIFF), according to a post on FINAS' Facebook.
It's also noted that the movie, which is based on the Bornean state's folklore, has been picked as an Official Selection at the San Francisco Another Hole in the Head Film Festival, set to run from 11 to 27 December 2020 in the US.
Prior to this, it was also an Official Selection at the New Indie Film Festival of London (NIFF) 2020 and the Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF) 2020.
Starring Larry Lajinoh, Marco Nicho, Joveana Jim, Che Chi, Geinod Lozitin, Peter Tobob, Julian Mickey Niun, Alvinson Julian Mickey, Bobby Christ and Abas himself, the Kadazandusun film follows an old man who doesn't believe in the existence of a modern-day head-hunter called Pangait.
He believes that a head-hunter is a warrior, one who doesn't take pleasure in beheading humans, and he has a secret reason for believing so. For he is the warrior himself, whose battle scar on his neck and collection of skulls in his room are proof enough, and he goes by the name Avakas.
"Avakas" was released in local cinemas on 1 October 2020. Just last week, Abas posted on his Facebook that he hopes to release the movie on streaming services so that it can be enjoyed by those who didn't get to watch it in cinemas.
