The #sayangMovie completed.

In the morning of 30th May 2013, I posted the following tweets,

MasyaAllah! It is done. At Fajr. Remember this date 🙏
— sanif olek (@sanifoo) May 29, 2013

  

Remember this date. Remember this date. Ten years. Remember this day.
— sanif olek (@sanifoo) May 30, 2013

So yes, my first debut indie feature film, Sayang Disayang (previously called Ramuan Rahasia as its working title) is completed. Between the conception of the film in 2001, getting funding, yo-yo national film grant schemes, professional/personal learning curves, shifts in local film scene and 30th May 2013, it has been a long colourful *journey.

No additional filming was done, nor additional funding been received since the Konsert Ramuan fundraiser project in 2011 or efforts in online crowdfunding. My co-writer, Gene Sha Rudyn and myself relooked hard at the script and reworked a narrative outline without leaving out the magic we had set out to achieve when we first collaborated on the screenplay. But just before you jump to any conclusion, this exercise was more to refine the narrative, focussing on the characters and their human condition while keeping the essence of our story - than taking the easy way out to get it “over and done with”. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

In future when the opportunity permits itself, we shall share the journey of making the film itself.

The next phase of Sayang Disayang’s journey begins with getting this film - a voice from the center of the Nusantara - be seen by as many people as possible internationally. It will be another exciting journey.

For future updates, you might want to “Like” its page on facebook, follow it on twitter or search the web with the hashtag #sayangMovie.

*Kindly do “Ramuan Rahasia” in this blog’s search column to read all about this film’s bittersweet journey since 2009.

Thank you so much for your unequivocal support for this film, and for simply being there every step of the way. This means so much to everyone involved.