Malaysia’s most prestigious and longest-running creative competition to discover and support emerging talent in film and digital content creation returns to take over the Petaling Street area in celebration of a new winner.

Kuala Lumpur, 13th December 2022 – The BMW Shorties returned to the heart of Kuala Lumpur after more than two years to celebrate the return of the Creative Industry as well as introduce the competition’s newest Grand Prize Winner - ‘Fasa’ by Syahmi Norsan. 

‘Fasa’ is a 10-minute story that tackles the complex themes of morality and choices, explored through a deep and contemplative exchange between two characters – Ehsan and Razak who are at different stages of their lives and the circumstances driving them to those decisions.

Syahmi Norsan, the Grand Prize Winner of the BMW Shorties competition went home with RM80,000 as part of a production grant after his film, Fasa, was unanimously selected by a panel of judges from the creative industry comprising of filmmaker Saw Teong Hin,  Nadiah Hamzah, Jeany Amir, Joon Goh and Anwari Ashraf.

“As a first-time director, ‘Fasa’ has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences in my journey as a storyteller. For it to be recognised on a platform as prestigious as the BMW Shorties, alongside such a talented pool of contemporaries no less, is truly humbling. It was a monumental task every step of the way, to ensure we depicted complex themes in a sensible, yet impactful manner. I have my team to thank for their dedication in bringing this story to life with me. Thank you also to the BMW Shorties for allowing us to share our vision with a wider audience,” said Syahmi Norsan.

‘Fasa’ received unanimous acclaim from the judges for the short film’s masterful take on its central themes, excellent production quality, intricate pacing, as well as the measured yet powerful delivery by its actors. Despite its dialogue-centric nature, the film managed to remain captivating and engaging throughout. Further affirming the deliberation, Syahmi and his team also took home the Best Director and Best Actor awards.

Saw Teong Hin, a returning judge for the BMW Shorties competition, commented, “Watching ‘Fasa’ for the first time leaves the impression of a very well-made and told story, but at the same time, it leaves just enough space to suggest that there is more than meets the eye. The intricacy of the piece successfully draws you in for a second viewing, where you can fully appreciate every decision Syahmi as a creator has made, as well as the individual choices made by the actors in their portrayal of the characters. Firdaus Hamdan, in particular, exercised masterful restraint in his delivery, delivering a performance that came across not only as natural, but also powerful.”

Fellow judge Nadiah Hamzah said, “When it comes to navigating the heavy themes as seen in ‘Fasa’, a film needs to tactful in its execution, as it treads the fine line between overreaching or coming across as a hollow representation. ‘Fasa’ managed to achieve that balance beautifully and I commend the team for taking on that challenge and sticking the landing.”

Meanwhile, Jeany Amir added, “I have always believed that even seasoned veterans in the creative industry can learn much from emerging creators. ‘Fasa’ is exemplar in that regard – while we, the judges, applied our experience in the industry to break down and analyse the story, we gleaned just as much from Syahmi’s own personal experiences and vision that led to its creation. Platforms such as the BMW Shorties play an important role in bringing together creative minds, both established and new, and fostering a two-way relationship that can only serve to bring the Malaysian creative industry to greater heights.”

Sashi Ambi, Head of Corporate Communications and Sustainability of BMW Group Malaysia said, “Returning this year with the theme RE:IMAGINE, the BMW Shorties continues to demonstrate the unbounded creativity of Malaysians that transcends even the circumstances of the pandemic. The last industry to emerge from the pandemic, RE:IMAGINE is inspired by the Sustainability and Circularity strategies of the BMW Group where we are able to repurpose and reengineer innovation. Much like the Shorties, it is philosophy for creativity and solutions for the future.  The BMW Shorties will always hold true to its promise of providing a space for creative voices to be heard in Malaysia, as the platform continues to evolve and adapt to the times.”

The BMW Shorties Festival 2022.

Leading up to the Awards Night, the BMW Shorties also took over Petaling Street, Kwai Chai Hong and its surrounding areas with the BMW Shorties Festival 2022. A celebration of Art, Music, Film and Digital Content Creation, the festival was filled with a myriad of on-ground attractions and activations that took place throughout the day.

The festival kickstarted with a guided photo walk session around REXKL, Petaling Street and Kwai Chai Hong – hosted by Annice Lyn. The photojournalist is the first and only Malaysian female photographer whose work was accredited for at the XXIII Olympic Winter Games, Pyeongchang 2018, and is the co-founder of Women’s Photography Malaysia (WPM). 

The public also participated at the screening of the top 10 finalists’ works alongside director’s commentaries held at REXKL, with musical performance by local musicians Sweet Rasta and Sounds of Jane. 

The fully-electric BMW iX3 alongside two units of the BMW iX, wrapped in the artwork entitled Symbiotic Mesh by local musician, artist and designer Jared Lim, also known as Professional Crayon were also part of the festival - enabled visitors to experience Sheer Electric Driving Pleasure in the areas around Chinatown. 

Inspired by the BMW Group’s initiatives for a future of sustainable engineering, the art pieces depict mother nature as she reimagines a colourful world that has discovered a way to not only co-exist but to work together in a symbiotic relationship towards achieving a brighter future. Nature and Technology working together in a beautiful Symbiotic Mesh. 

The public were also able to RE:IMAGINE the design of the BMW iX3 against the backdrop of Chinatown in the silhouette of the fully-electric Mid-Sized Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV).  At Kwai Chai Hong, a unique art light installation provided a creative avenue for photography with its prismatic display of colours.

As an extension of BMW Group Malaysia’s ongoing initiative to support local businesses and their sustainability efforts, the BMW Shorties partnered with local F&B merchants across Chinatown and the Petaling Street area including Bubblebee, Mary Jane, Vintage 1988, MyHub, Grill Box, Lim Kee Café, Rust KL, Wildflower, Gui Gui BBQ, 青青 (Pandan Republic) and 小时光 (DayOne DayOne Noodles). The public were invited to RE:IMAGINE their experiences with these partners to win special BMW Shorties collectibles.

The Finalists’ short films can be viewed on the official BMW Shorties’ YouTube page at www.youtube.com/user/bmwshortiesmy. For more information on the BMW Shorties, visit the official BMW Shorties website at www.bmwshorties.com.my. For the latest updates on future BMW Shorties events, check out the BMW Shorties Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bmwshorties and Instagram page at www.instagram.com/bmwshorties.