SHORT film director Syalikh Nazrul has had a dream of becoming a filmmaker ever since he watched Jurassic Park as a child. Fascinated by the filmmaking process, Syalikh began to dabble with short films, in the later years.
Juggling his career in the corporate world, the up-and-coming film director had a unique approach to telling stories and bringing his vision to screen. Soon, his incredible talent and skills got noticed.
Syalikh, 33, won his first major award, Best Short Film in DFKL in 2017, one of his short films was selected in the Top 5 Short Films in Vision Petron the same year, and another short film reached the Top 13 for Best Screenplay at the 2018 Kolumpu Film Festival.
Just last year, Syalikh bagged yet another award. His short film, titled Red Is The Colour That I Don’t Want To See, won the People’s Choice Awards at the prestigious BMW Shorties 2022 in December.
Syalikh created the story and wrote the screenplay, which has suspense and a sense of tension, and terrifying at times. He also directed the film, which is available on YouTube.
Starring Yuyun Hikmah and Ad Wafri Shah, the short film centres around a young couple trying to deliver a baby at a cheap hotel. The film was shot in just two days, and left a lasting impact in the minds of viewers.
The short film has a good message. A bad decision by the young couple landed them in a terrible situation, but it makes us sit up and think about the youth’s lack of knowledge.
It was a courageous move by Syalikh not to be afraid to try to explore such a topic, especially focusing on young pregnant (Muslim) women.
Though, most people find it difficult to watch the ‘bloody’ scenes – Syalikh himself admits that he gets dizzy when he sees blood – it didn’t stop him from filming them.
As we know, short films are a good platform before starting the journey into movie making, and as such, his great potential and creative mind puts him on the right track to becoming a celebrated filmmaker in the future.
Here, we spoke to Syalikh to learn more about his inspiration, journey, and future projects.
Q: What inspired you to become a short filmmaker?
“Movies are like dreams. The first film that I remember watching was Jurassic Park. My dad brought me to the cinema. Since then, I have fallen in love with movies. Since I got to start somewhere and learn all the craft, back in 2017, I simply joined a short film competition organized by Drama Festival KL, and I won the grand prize! You can check it out on YouTube under the title Kongsi Kalau Malu. Since then, it drove me to be an established filmmaker.”
Q: You won the BMW Shorties for Red Is The Colour That I Don’t Want To See. How did you feel at that time?
“I won the People’s Choice Award. Well, I considered it a ‘box office hit’ when people liked the film and voted it their favourite. I was so happy because, at the end of the day, you are making a movie for people. To be chosen by them inspires me to make more.
“Red is about a young couple trying to deliver a baby in a cheap motel, assisted by a vet! I know it sounds crazy, but I liked the idea of a movie being so crazy that you pray it won’t happen in real life.”
Q: How did you come up with the title and the meaning behind it?
“Red is the colour of blood. Red also symbolises failure, and nobody wants to see that. To be honest, I get dizzy whenever I see blood. So I thought it would be a cheeky metaphor.”
Q: Your short film is full of tense moments. What particular genre influenced it?
“Being a big fan of Lars Von Trier, Gaspar Noe, and Alfred Hitchcock, I thought I successfully pulled off a Hitchcockian thriller and added hardcore realism.”
Q: What did you want to convey through the story? Is there any hidden message for viewers?
“Living in a male-dominated country, it’s sickening to see women must obey whatever or however the men want. So the whole narrative is a metaphor for me blaming the system. We desperately needed a revamp of our system.”
Q: What do you want viewers to take away after watching it?
“As I mentioned earlier, living in a male-dominated country is sickening for women. It’s time to fight and stand your ground. No means no, and yes means yes. Women need to speak up.”
Q: What kind of research did you do for the story and screenplay? By the way, is this a true story?
“I was assisted by Dr. Puvana, a gynaecologist stationed in Putrajaya Hospital so that I wouldn’t miss the important facts. It is how it is. The steps, the method, and the equipment used are all factually right. We often hear about babies found in dumpsters and public toilets, which means it happens every day. So I do believe that somewhere this narrative may take place. But as for Red, it’s not a true story, and I hope it won’t happen to any woman.”
Q: What was the most difficult part of making the film?
“The most difficult part was the casting! To find the right actors who could play the roles. With many Malaysian actors that only prefer glamorous and non-controversial roles, none of the ones I approached were on board for this, until a dear friend of mine recommended Yuyun Hikmah for it. She is just perfect!”
Q: Were there any challenging scenes?
“The most challenging scene was the delivery scene. Though we had choreographed it prior to the shoot, it was still the most difficult to get it right as it involved tense, heavy expressions. As the director, you must make sure the actors are not drained out while performing it, and you need to get what’s right for the scene.”
Q: What was your budget for this film?
“The film was supported by FINAS under the DKD scheme, with the additional budget coming from Mr. Desmond Looh, a dear friend who supported the project. I would like to take this opportunity to thank FINAS for its support.”
Q: What is your all-time favourite film?
“There are many! It is hard to name one, but I will try. Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men, Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder. This is what comes to mind right now. But I promise you, there are many!”
Q: Which film director inspires or influences you?
“Lars Von Trier, Stanley Kubrick, and Gaspar Noe. They inspire me to be bold in my narrative, and I use them as my ‘battery charger’. They always fire me up.”
Q: Do you aspire to become a commercial filmmaker in the future?
“Of course. That’s the main reason I joined the 2022’s BMW Shorties, for the exposure, and visibility. By God’s grace, I can slowly see it happening.”
Q: What is your next project, and what kind of genre do you plan to explore?
“I do have a couple of projects in the pipeline, but I am not entitled to share them yet. But I am working on a draft for a feature film. I always see myself as a horror filmmaker. So my next project will run along the genre of horror, added with a touch of realism.”
