KUCHING: Director Johan Chairil aims to submit his film Love Crush to international film festivals before screening it nationally.
He mentioned that after the post-production of the film is completed, he plans to target several international film festivals in Australia.
“We are currently negotiating with some distributors in Australia, so we are potentially targeting that country first.
“We are also aiming to screen the film in New Zealand and possibly North America.
“Once we complete everything by Dec 31, we can discuss the details regarding the distribution of the film,” he said.
He made these remarks after attending a press conference announcing the principal photography for the film at the Waterfront Hotel here yesterday (Sept 10).
Speaking about his approach to storytelling, Johan stated that he does not intend to create horror films, noting his desire to tell simple stories that resonate with audiences.
“For instance, the story of Love Crush is a simple one about a woman and her unresolved crush, which many audience members can relate to,” he explained.
“I want to tell stories that everyone can relate to, to a certain extent.”
Regarding his future plans in filmmaking, Johan said it would depend on the critical and commercial success of Love Crush, his directorial debut.
“Of course, I probably have five or six other films that I plan to make, either in Kuching or in Borneo as a whole.
“This is the first trial, and once it is released in 2025, my target is for it to collect a total of RM200,000. After all, it is an independent film,” he added.
