5 Impactful Films To Watch at the 24th European Film Festival in Malaysia

Written by Ista Kyra

5 Impactful Films To Watch at the 24th European Film Festival in Malaysia

The 24th European Film Festival (EUFF) opens in Malaysia with a specially curated list of movies that not only showcase European culture but also address universal, such as the impact of social media and the urgency of climate change.

A total of 18 movies from 15 countries across Europe will be screening at five participating Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) outlets in Malaysia. The festival will run from 12 October to 22 October 2023, and you can catch these films at GSC Mid Valley Megamall, MyTown, and 1 Utama in the Klang Valley, before they move on to GSC Gurney Plaza Penang from 26 October to 1 November 2023.

This year, the festival is also making a comeback in Kuching through screenings in CityOne Megamall, from 2 November to 5 November 2023. The reintroduction follows the festival’s 4-year hiatus from Sarawak.

European Union Ambassador to Malaysia, Michalis Rokas, stated that the EUFF is arguably the oldest and longest-running foreign film festival in Malaysia and serves as a window into European culture.

“It is a platform for Member States and partners within the continent such as Ukraine, Norway and Switzerland to showcase our legacy, passion and expertise in film making to Malaysia and the world. Our rich tapestry of cultures, history, philosophy and landscapes are in full display during this event that Malaysia has played host to yearly since 1999.”

Out of the curated movies, 11 can be redeemed for free with the purchase of a RM4 mineral water

per ticket. This redemption is available through e-payment on the GSC website, their application, and at ticketing kiosks in participating cinemas. Meanwhile, seven movies on the list will be priced at RM10 per ticket.

Discover the entire roster of films and their screening schedules at the participating cinemas here. Furthermore, we’ve handpicked five titles from the selection of complimentary films to ignite your cinematic curiousity.

1. “Parents Vs. Influencers”

This film deals with the struggles of a middle-aged philosophy professor who grapples with his daughter’s social media obsession and the differences between his generation and hers. It is one of two films presented by Italy for the European Film festival, which the Deputy Head of Mission for Italy Clara Cualbu said, “remind us of the complexity of human relationships, the importance of expanding our views and the immense power of empathy and love, universal themes that have no borders and concern us all whether we live in Italy, Malaysia or elsewhere in the world.”

2. “Goya of Bordeaux”

The Ambassador of Spain to Malaysia, José Luis Pardo Cuerdo, selected this 1999 film for the 24th European Film Festival as an homage to three icons of Spanish art: Francisco Goya, hailed as the paramount Spanish artist of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries; Pablo Picasso, renowned for pioneering Cubism alongside Georges Braque and leaving an indelible mark as a 20th-century art visionary; and the late filmmaker Carlos Saura, esteemed as a prominent figure in New Spanish Cinema and celebrated for his contributions to the genre, directing films during a transformative period in Spain’s political and cultural history, including the anti-dictatorship era.

3. “Operation Arctic”

In this 2014 film, you’ll see scenes set in the Norwegian Svalbard islands, renowned for their rugged Arctic wilderness. However, in reality, Svalbard is experiencing the effects of climate change, with expectations of becoming warmer and wetter as global temperatures rise. Norwegian Ambassador Morten Paulsen pointed out that encounters with polar bears in Svalbard are increasingly likely, especially as the traditional means of finding food become more challenging for these bears. He emphasized that the film isn’t just a drama but an excellent choice for family viewing.

4. “Mr Jones”

This film presented by Ukraine, is based on the true story of Welsh journalist, Gareth Jones who risked his life to expose the truth about the devastating famine in the Soviet Union in the early 1930s.

5. “Imad’s Childhood”

This Swedish documentary film, honored with the Movies That Matter Award in 2022, chronicles the poignant journey of Yazidi Ghazala and her two young sons. They return to Iraqi Kurdistan after enduring two years in captivity under the militant Islamic State (IS). Ghazala’s four-year-old son, Imad, exhibits explosively aggressive behavior due to exposure to violent beheading videos. With the assistance of a teacher, Imad embarks on a gradual journey towards reclaiming a semblance of a normal childhood.