Hijabsta Ballet attracts Japanese film distributors (Video)

KUALA LUMPUR: Hijabsta Ballet, the movie which highlights the struggle between one’s passion for performing ballet and love of religion, has attracted Japanese film distributors.
Its director Syed Zulkifli Syed Masir, better known as Syed Zul Tojo, said the movie has attracted interested parties from Japan who had requested for Japanese subtitles.
“Film distributors from Japan have asked us to provide Japanese subtitles and now we are in the midst of completing the process,” he told Bernama.
“Thus far, apart from Japan, there have been parties from China, Australia, South Korea and the United Kingdom showing interest in the movie,” he said, referring to his intention to introduce the spiritual-themed film to the international market.
Hijabsta Ballet is a 120-minute length movie featuring new face Puteh Maimun Zahra, who is also a professional dancer, playing the main character named Adele, and is scheduled for general screening on Thursday.
Syed Zul Tojo, who is also the vice-president of the Film Directors Association of Malaysia (FDAM), believes that the strength of the movie lies on the subject of the ‘hijab’ (headscarf) that was hardly highlighted in any film before and hopes this would help promote the movie to a bigger market.
“We have screened this movie to more than 4,000 people, aged 18 to 26, through several previews and received an average rating of between 7/10 and 10/10, a feedback that I think is positive,” he said.
He added that he would also try his luck to show the movie at international film festivals to measure the level of his work.
The film tells about 17-year-old Adele who aspires to become a famous ballet dancer and her subsequent struggles when she decides to don the headscarf associated with Muslims, which is not allowed under the strict rules of ballet.
As expected, her action drew opposition from her teammates and teachers, apart from a handful of people, including religious extremists.
The film, which features struggle, love, trust and determination as its themes, also stars Aida Khalida, Betty Banafe and Aman Graseka. — Bernama