La Luna, a Malay-language comedy-drama, has been chosen as Singapore’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards in 2025. The selection was announced by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), following a decision by the Singapore Film Commission (SFC) Advisory Committee.
The Oscars will unveil a shortlist of 15 finalists on December 17, 2024, with the final five nominees announced on January 17, 2025. The awards ceremony is scheduled for March 2, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Written and directed by Singaporean filmmaker M. Raihan Halim, La Luna premiered in cinemas across Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia in November 2023 and is available for streaming on Netflix in Singapore. The film is set in the fictional village of Kampong Bras Basah in Perak, Malaysia, and follows the story of Hanie Abdullah, portrayed by Malaysian actress Sharifah Amani. When Hanie opens a lingerie shop called La Luna, she ignites a divide within the conservative community, with some villagers supporting her business while others are outraged.
The village leader, Tok Hassan, played by Malaysian actor Wan Hanafi Su, is determined to close the shop. As Hanie strives to keep her business afloat, she develops a romantic relationship with Salihin Arshad, the village police chief and a single father, portrayed by Malaysian actor Shaheizy Sam.
La Luna made its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival and was featured at the Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival, serving as the closing film for the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Justin Ang, IMDA’s assistant chief executive for media, innovation, communications, and marketing, expressed excitement about presenting La Luna as Singapore’s entry for the 2025 Oscars. He highlighted the film’s representation of Singapore’s multilingual and multi-ethnic culture, stating, “This has been another great year for ‘Made-with-Singapore’ films, which have had a strong presence at festivals like Cannes, Venice, and Busan. We are proud of M. Raihan Halim and the production team and cast and look forward to good news at the 2025 Oscars.”
Historically, no Singaporean film has made it to the Oscars shortlist in this category, previously known as Best Foreign Language Film. Past submissions include the romantic drama The Breaking Ice (2023), set in China, and the Singaporean-South Korean drama Ajoomma (2022).
Produced by Singaporean companies Clover Films and Papahan Films, in collaboration with Malaysia’s ACT 2 Pictures and One Cool Film, La Luna boasts an ensemble cast from both countries. The project received support from the IMDA and the SFC under the Media Talent Progression Programme.
Director M. Raihan Halim, on the set of La Luna, expressed his gratitude for the selection, stating, “I am humbled, amazed, and honored. My team and I are truly over the moon. Pun intended.”
Actor Shaheizy Sam shared his appreciation for being part of the prestigious awards, noting that it is “every actor’s dream to be part of the world’s most prestigious award event.” Sharifah Amani reflected on her role, stating that playing Hanie was a “deeply personal experience.” She added, “Now, to see it being recognized by Singapore as its official selection for the Oscars is simply surreal.”
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