PENANG-born director Sam Quah’s new film, “A Place Called Silence”, has received rave reviews at the recent 25th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF). It has garnered an impressive rating of 8.4 on Douban, a popular Chinese media review platform.
This notable film festival showcased over 400 domestic and international films, featuring various genres and styles.
The International Film screenings at SIFF were divided into 16 sections, including the “Refreshing Chinese Cinema” section, which focused on contemporary Chinese films and showcased the works of talented young directors.
“A Place Called Silence”, a suspense film directed by Quah, was one of the featured films in the “Refreshing Chinese Cinema” section this year. With a rating of 8.4 out of over 300 reviews on Douban, both the audience and local media have complimented the film for its unexpected plot twist and its significance in reflecting reality.
Expressing his gratitude for the positive reviews, Quah stated, “It is an honour for me to receive such kind and supportive comments.
“I feel honoured to represent Malaysia in this film festival, and I hope that this film will continue to achieve great success in the future.”
He also mentioned that this film was his directorial debut, having been shot before “Sheep Without a Shepherd,” a 2019 Chinese crime thriller he directed.
“During that time, I had just graduated with a Master’s degree and life felt free and easy. I was moved by a real-life event reported in the news, which inspired me to depict this in my film.
“The entire process, from filming to post-production, including editing and music composition, took me four years. This film holds immense value to me. Therefore, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my dedicated team, who worked tirelessly with me to bring this film to life, as well as to the audiences who have enjoyed and supported it.”
Filming for “A Place Called Silence” began in Keelung, Taiwan in April 2018, with a pre-production period of 40 days.
Shortly after completing “A Place Called Silence”, he received an invitation to direct the online drama “Detective Chinatown”. Upon finishing “Detective Chinatown”, he immediately embarked on directing the film “Sheep Without a Shepherd”, which resulted in a delay in the post-production of “A Place Called Silence”.
“A Place Called Silence” holds a special place as my debut film. I tried to refine it to the best of my abilities. That is why it took longer to complete.
“However, the COVID-19 pandemic, which started in 2022, affected the post-production process of “A Place Called Silence”. We had to wait until the situation stabilised before resuming work and spent an additional five days shooting a beach scene. The film’s entire post-production was finally completed in the second half of 2022,” Quah confessed.
Following its showcase at SIFF, “A Place Called Silence” is set to participate in the “Taipei Film Festival” in Taiwan, where it has been nominated for several awards. The team is currently in active negotiation with their counterparts in Malaysia, with hopes of releasing the film in Malaysian cinemas by the end of this year.