By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz
SINGAPORE, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- La Luna, a comedy film by Singaporean director M. Raihan Halim, has been selected as Singapore’s entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards in 2025.
In a statement, Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) said the Singapore-Malaysia co-production was picked by the selection committee made up of Singapore Film Commission (SFC) Advisory Committee members.
La Luna was supported by IMDA and the SFC under the Media Talent Progression Programme. It was released in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia’s cinemas in November last year.
The film features an ensemble cast from Malaysia and Singapore, including Shaheizy Sam, Sharifah Amani, Wan Hanafi Su, and Hisyam Hamid.
It is about a woman who opens a lingerie shop, “La Luna”, in a conservative Malaysian village.
Produced by Clover Films and Papahan Films, both Singaporean production companies, in association with Malaysia’s ACT 2 Pictures and One Cool Film, the film made its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival under the Asian Future Section and participated in the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival last year.
It was also selected as the closing film at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and screened in the International Panorama section of the Shanghai International Film Festival earlier this year.
IMDA assistant chief executive of Media, Innovation, Communications and Marketing, Justin Ang, said La Luna is a great testament to Singapore’s multi-lingual and multi-ethnic society that gives rise to interesting stories.
“We are proud of M. Raihan Halim and the production’s team and cast, and we look forward to good news at the 2025 Oscars,” he said.
Raihan said he is humbled, amazed, and honoured to represent Singapore.
“My team and I are truly over the moon,” he said.
Meanwhile, lead actress Sharifah Amani shared that playing Hanie Abdullah was a deeply personal experience for her.
“Now, to see it being recognised by Singapore as its official selection for the Oscars is simply surreal. Every film has its own life, and La Luna felt like a piece of art that was born from the passion and hard work of everyone involved,” she said.
-- BERNAMA
