"Hanyut" will finally be released in cinemas this November
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28 Sep – After years of delay, big budgeted Malaysian film, "Hanyut", will be released in cinemas this 24 November 2016.
The 2013 U-Wei Shaari directed film is adapted from the Joseph Conrad novel, "Almayer's Folly". Set in the 19th century, the story follows a Dutch trader named Almayer, struggling to survive in Malaysia.
With a production budget of RM18 million, the film stars Australian actor Peter O'Brien and Malaysian actors Datin Sofia Jane, Diana Danielle, Adi Putra, Khalid Salleh and British actor, James Corley.
The movie was produced using the accumulation of a RM10 million loan from Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN), a RM6 million grant from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, and a RM2 million investment from FINAS.
Previously, filmmaker U-Wei had delayed the release of his film in the country as he said that he didn't have enough funds to promote the film extensively.
He was concerned about its marketing efforts as he didn't want "Hanyut" to flop at the box office like what had happened to his previous films. He believed that with the right promotions, it may then help elevate the performance of "Hanyut" at the local box office.
However, that concern was soon addressed as the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (FINAS), had helped him gather funds amounting to RM1.8 million.
Even though the film had never released here, it had made its festival run in Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, America and Russia.
It was released in Indonesia in 2014 under the title, "Gunung Emas Almayer".
