Malaysian powerhouse Astro Shaw has joined forces with Sympatico, the newly minted production label from Double Vision’s Min Lim and Argo Films’ Richard Johns, as the outfit commences production on its debut feature “Mojo.”
The romantic comedy, which began lensing this week in Malaysia’s picturesque Perlis region, marks a significant milestone in cross-cultural collaboration between Southeast Asian and British filmmaking talents.
Indonesian heartthrob Adipati Dolken (“Shadow Strays”) makes his Malaysian film debut as Adi, starring opposite local sensation Mimi Lana (“The Experts”) in this tale of urban ambition meeting rural charm – with a social media-famous bovine thrown into the mix. The story follows Adi, a corporate climber at Moo Magic Farms who turns a distinctive cow named Mojo into a viral sensation while pursuing aggressive rural farm acquisitions. His plans take an unexpected turn when he encounters a resistant farming community and its determined inhabitants, including Ayu (Lana).
The production has assembled an seasoned ensemble of Malaysian talent, including Cannes alumnus Wan Hanafi (“Apprentice”), multi-hyphenate Namron (director of “One Two Jaga”), and former child star-turned-filmmaker Aziz M. Osman (“Fenomena,” “XX Ray”). Also joining the cast are veteran performer Dato A. Tamimi Serigar, fresh off his 2023 Best Actor win at the Asean International Film Festival for “Perjalanan Pertama,” Tony Eusoff (“Pecah,” “Revenge of the Pontianak”), Gambit Saifullah (“Jasmine,” “Malbatt: Misi Bakara”), and Farah Ahmad (“Soul,” “Liar”).
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Behind the camera, Sympatico’s Min Lim takes the director’s chair, bringing her experience from hit Malaysian adaptations of “Liar” and “The Bridge” to the project. The creative team includes rising star Honey Ahmad, the sole Asian writer selected for Film Independent’s 2024 Episodic Labs Cohort, alongside creative consultant Zahir Omar (“Fly by Night”) and award-winning writer Chi-Ren Choong.
Astro Shaw’s involvement brings heavyweight Malaysian distribution muscle to the project, while the U.K.’s SC Films International is set to handle global sales. The film’s producers include Mocha Chai Laboratories’ Michelle Chang and Sympatico’s Richard Johns, whose credits include the Oscar-nominated “Shadow of the Vampire.”
“This has been a project long in the making,” says helmer Min Lim, expressing particular enthusiasm about Astro Shaw’s participation. The director underlines the production’s dual aim of creating an authentic Malaysian story with global appeal, positioning the project as a potential showcase for Southeast Asian storytelling capabilities.
Raja Jastina Raja Arshad, who heads Astro Shaw, pointed to the studio’s long-standing relationship with Double Vision as a key factor in joining the production. “With its brilliant script, excellent cast, a potent synergy of creative minds from Malaysia, Indonesia and U.K., not to mention the wider international potential for the film that the Sympatico team can bring, we are excited to see just where this project might go,” Arshad stated.
The film is scheduled for a Malaysian theatrical release later in 2025 before its international rollout. State support from Perlis has aided the production, which aims to spotlight the region’s untapped cinematic potential.