KKIFF Celebrates 15th Anniversary

2 August 2024

KOTA KINABALU: The 15th-anniversary celebration of the Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival (KKIFF) is scheduled to take place from September 7 to September 15, 2024.

Film enthusiasts can indulge in a diverse array of films at City Cineplex City Mall, Kota Kinabalu, from September 7 to September 14.

The Cinebalu Screenings will showcase a variety of genres, including action, adventure, animation, comedy, cultural, docufiction, drama, experimental, fantasy, horror, narrative, war, romance, suspense, time travel and thriller.

Additionally, Larissa Kovalchuk will captivate audiences with her performance on the Ukrainian folk instrument, the bandura, at 2:00 pm on the Opening Day and again during the Opening Night at 8:00 pm.

"We are incredibly excited about this year's CINEBALU Screenings. The variety of genres and the inclusion of international talents like Larissa Kovalchuk truly highlight the diversity and global reach of the festival. This is a treat on the Opening Day of the KKIFF 2024! Please visit www.kkiff.com for the complete festival schedule.

“We are featuring local, regional and international films from Indonesia, Ukraine, New Zealand, Taiwan, USA, France, Argentina. A story that a lot of Sabahans can relate to ‘UNBROKEN TIES’ - is a film from Myanmar; set in Myanmar and the USA, about an orphan, Min, who embarks on a journey to a foreign land, seeking a brighter future, only to unravel a past he never imagined. It is a story about finding who you are and where home is,” said Festival Director Jude Day.

KKIFF and Sabah Tourism Board (STB) have collaborated to introduce a special category for the Pink10 Filmmakers' Competition: Explore Sabah.

This new category complements the existing categories of Narrative, Documentary, and a category sponsored by the Kadazandusun Language Foundation for Indigenous Language.

Festival Manager Jasmine Rajah highlighted that filmmakers who are keen on participating are urged to submit videos of 3 minutes or less to the Explore Sabah category. The winner of this category will have the opportunity to showcase their video in STB's advertising campaign for the upcoming year.

“We look forward to seeing the creative and inspiring submissions from filmmakers. Submissions via FilmFreeway for all categories of short films are open until mid-August and we encourage fellow Southeast Asian residents to submit their films too. Winners of each category will receive a Golden Kinabalu Award and RM 3,000, at the KKIFF Awards Night on September 15, a free event open to all,” she said.

Meanwhile, the fully funded 8-day Sabah Film Lab will take place at Ibis Styles Kota Kinabalu from Sept 8 to 15.

Eighteen Malaysian filmmakers will receive training from renowned mentors, including Isazaly Isa, Putri Purnama Sugua, Ahmad Yazid (Malaysia), Hikaru Toda (Japan), Mark Overett (Australia), and Roy Taoho (New Zealand).

The programme will culminate with participants premiering their films at the KKIFF Awards Night.

"The Sabah Film Lab is a unique opportunity for Malaysian filmmakers to hone their skills and learn from the best in the industry. We are thrilled to provide this platform for emerging talent and urge interested parties to register and grab a slot in the programme," said Sabah Film Lab Coordinator, Chris Pereira.

The festival will conclude with a glamorous Awards Night on September 15 at Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu.