KUALA LUMPUR: Batik Girl, an animated feature film by The R&D Studio has been chosen as one of eight feature film projects worldwide to participate in MIFA's Meet The Producer Session in Annecy, France.
This session which began on June 12 is a curated programme for projects that have secured at least 70 per cent of their financing and are seeking gap financing from investors.
Batik Girl's directors Irwan Junaidy and Renee Pillai said in a statement yesterday that the film's emotional core is the bond between a daughter and her mother as they journey through a a fantasy world where they face trials and tribulations in their quest to return home and find common ground with each other.
Irwan said: "The world we have created draws from the ideas explored in the studio's previous animated short films Batik Girl (2018) and The Dalang's Tale (2021), where we find inspiration in the rich and diverse culture of Southeast Asia and infuse our films with a blend of cultural heritage, folklore and mythology."
Renee, the winner of the Academy Nicholl Fellowship In Screenwriting said that Batik Girl promises to captivate audiences with its heartfelt storytelling, stunning visuals, and profound exploration of the meaning of family.
The Batik Girl animated feature film serves as a sequel to the award-winning animated short film of the same name, produced in 2018.
The short film garnered widespread acclaim during its festival run, winning awards and securing official selections in nearly 30 international film festivals.
The short film was made possible by the digital content grant from government agency MDEC (Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation).
MDEC chief executive officer Mahadhir Aziz said: "We are pleased that our support of Batik Girl has enabled the studio to flourish as excellent storytellers.
"We are truly excited and supportive of the studio in further developing the story into an animated feature film."
The R&D Studio is an investee company of MyCreative Ventures, a government-linked investment company that supports the creative industry via innovative funding.
MyCreative Ventures chief executive officer Zainariah Johari said: "Such pivotal content such as Batik Girl is essential in ensuring the continued education and cultivation of the creative arts in order to increase awareness and appreciation in the traditional and arts realm which is closely tied to the soul and identity of the nation."
