Learning from Taiwan's Film Education: Malaysian Director Tells Local Stories Through the Lens

The late-night film set remained bright. As the final scene on the boxing ring was completed, Malaysian director Bear (Xing Yixiong) finally breathed a sigh of relief, high-fiving the crew in celebration. This Malay-language feature film is not only his directorial debut but also a fusion of the film education he received in Taiwan with local storytelling. After studying at Shih Hsin University in Taiwan in 2007, Xing returned to Malaysia to develop his career. He participated in the production of works such as 'The Journey' and 'Ola Bola' directed by Chiu Keng Guan, and 'PASKAL' directed by Adrian Teh, serving as assistant director, first assistant director, and B-unit director. After years of accumulation and refinement, Bear finally delivered his first Malay-language feature film, 'The Furious: Pertaruhan Maruah'. The production took several months and was filmed across Malaysia and the Philippines. Malay-language audiovisual works have always been the mainstream in the Malaysian film market. According to official statistics, Malays and indigenous groups account for approximately 70.5% of the population, Chinese about 22.2%, Indians about 6.5%, and other groups 0.8%. Entering a market where Malay is the mainstream requires not only linguistic challenges but also an understanding of the cultural context and narrative style of the Malay community. Bear told Central News Agency reporters that 'The Furious' is set against the backdrop of a Malaysian boxing family, telling the story of two long-lost brothers who reunite after an influencer publicly insults their father's reputation, embarking on a journey of family, redemption, and revenge both inside and outside the ring. He stated that while the film appears to be a boxing movie, its core values revolve around family, brotherly affection, and self-growth, which are closely related to the daily lives of the Malay community. For Bear, filming boxing is just a surface; what he really wants to tell are stories about people and families. As a Malaysian Chinese director, choosing Malay as the narrative medium is not easy. Even though most Malaysian Chinese are familiar with Chinese, English, and Malay from a young age, creating across linguistic and cultural boundaries remains a significant challenge. However, he attributes this cross-cultural creative ability to his experience studying in Taiwan. Bear believes that Taiwan's film education provided him with more than just technical training; it cultivated his ability for independent thinking and a humanistic perspective, allowing him to understand society and observe life from different angles. 'What I learned in Taiwan was not just how to make movies, but how to view movies.' Bear observes that Taiwanese cinema places more emphasis on humanistic and artistic expression, while Malaysian cinema tends to be more commercially oriented. Although both film cultures have their own characteristics, it has led him to think about how to integrate Taiwan's humanistic thinking and narrative style into local Malaysian stories. He points out that 'language is just a medium.' Whether it is Chinese, English, or Malay, what a film ultimately conveys is the character's emotions and the core of the story, which do not change due to language. From Chinese and bilingual (Chinese-Malay) works to pure Malay films, Bear's creative journey reflects another possibility in the intersection of Taiwanese education and Malaysia's diverse culture. In the interview, he emphasized, 'I hope to continue making movies,' and looks forward to transforming the film knowledge and experience accumulated in Taiwan and Malaysia into more stories that belong to Malaysia.