Winning the top prize at BMW Shorties was a huge motivation for Tan
In 2006, BMW Group Malaysia introduced a new cultural initiative that would provide local amateur filmmakers a platform to express their creativity and celluloid genius. To date, its popular short film competition called BMW Shorties has received more than 750 entries, many of which have since been screened at prestigious international film festivals in Cannes, New York, Rotterdam, Oberhausen, Rome and Clermont-Ferrand.
“BMW Shorties has journeyed a remarkable distance since it first undertook the task of providing a platform for aspiring Malaysian film enthusiasts to realise their potential,” said Han San Yung, managing director and CEO of BMW Group Malaysia.
“As a premium brand which understands the importance of cultural pursuits like filmmaking to a generation, the BMW Group is extremely humbled by the response we have recorded and the impact we have rendered in the local film industry through BMW Shorties. Having received over 600 short film entries and launched countless film talent into full-fledged careers, the BMW Shorties is honoured to have helped Malaysia build a bold legacy in filmmaking.”
Sashi Ambi, head of corporate communications of BMW Group Malaysia, notes that it has been a humbling experience for BMW Group Malaysia to be able to share the passion, commitment and talent of its filmmakers with fellow Malaysians. “Our themes also reflect the success this initiative continues to enjoy.”
Top prize winners of BMW Shorties receive a generous production grant of RM75,000 for their next work. Apart from the director, other talents are also recognised with awards for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Editing and Best Sound Design as well as a People’s Choice Award.
The winner of the 2016 edition was Tan Ce Ding, whose short film Hawa tapped into the sci-fi genre, uncovering the relationship between humans and robots in a futuristic Malaysia. He continues this theme in his recently premiered film, The Masseuse.
Graduating from Sunway University with a diploma in performing arts and media, Tan first began his career as a production assistant, quickly advancing to assistant director and eventually sitting in the director’s chair for numerous commercials.
Currently a film director at Naga DDB Tribal, he has won two Kancil Awards and also directed many independent short films including Thanks for Saving Me, We Were the Best and Da Capo. “When my team and I won, we immediately saw an opportunity to explore another angle for the sci-fi genre and further expand on the elements of the possible society of Malaysia in the future,” says Tan who has sent in entries to BMW Shorties since 2010 and was a Top 10 finalist five times. “That was how Hawa came to be. The Masseuse was an interesting project as we had the chance to think about how robots and humans could interact in Kuala Lumpur.”
Set in the future, The Masseuse is a surprisingly moving sci-fi love story between a humanoid masseuse and her technician who has a dark and disturbing past and an indisposed agenda. The film centres on the relationship between robots and humans in the future, and their roles in a developed society.
