TAIPING: The second edition of the Raintown Film Festival here this year received a warmer response than before, drawing 103 entries including short film productions from outside Perak, while also introducing a short film competition.
Aiming to promote Taiping through cinema, the festival runs from Sept 12 to 14 at Paragon Cinema at Taiping Mall.
It features film screenings, talks, and guided tours offering a full experience of Taiping’s charm, from screen to the oldest streets in Malaysia.
This year’s festival showcases four feature films shot in Taiping, each offering a unique perspective of the town.
Among them is the classic ‘Rock’ (2005), directed by the late Mamat Khalid, screened as the festival’s closing in honour of its 20th anniversary.
Other films include The Gathering by Jin Ong starring Jack Tan, capturing Taiping’s beauty; The Game by Felix Tan, shot entirely in Bukit Larut; and The Pirate & Emperor Ship by Khoo Eng Yow, narrated by historian Lee Eng Kew on Perak’s famed “Pirate King” Tan Lian Lay.
Festival founder Jacky Yeap, 33, said the vision behind the event was to present Taiping not only as a tourist destination but as “a town rich in humanity and cultural heritage through cinematography.”
He said this year also presents the top 10 short films selected from 103 entries for the Raintown Short Film Competition 2025, themed “Rain” to reflect Taiping’s identity as Malaysia’s “raintree town.”
“The short films cover genres from narrative to experimental, including AI-based storytelling, highlighting a new wave of local filmmaking talent.
“The competition is not limited to Taiping residents. Many of the top 10 shorts were filmed outside Taiping and even outside Perak, with most participants being new or young talents,” he said.
“Taiping is known for the ‘first 33s’ in Malaysia, but it has more to offer, from folklore and history to art and cultural events like the Raintree Art Market or community initiatives by Liew Suet Fun of the Taiping Heritage Society,” he told the New Straits Times Press.
Off-screen, the festival features a special talk, Memories in Lorong B Aulong Lama, with writer Uthaya Sankar SB, who returned to his hometown to document memories from the 1970s to the 1990s.
Visitors can also join a three-hour walking tour led by Taiping-born architect Professor Teoh Chee Keong, uncovering hidden stories and lesser-known sites around the town.
Jacky said seven awards would be presented on closing night, including Best Short Film, Jury Prize, Best Director, Best Script, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design, and Best Production Design.
He added that compared to last year’s first edition, which drew 1,500 attendees, this year’s festival recorded a full attendance of 1,800 over three days.
“Last year we targeted mainly Taiping audiences, but this year registrations showed attendees from Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, and Penang also travelled to join the festival.
“In the first edition we only had screenings, no competition. This year’s introduction of a contest with professional jurors and a selection committee drew participants from beyond Perak,” he said.
The panel includes former National Film Development Corporation (Finas) chairman Datuk Kamil Othman and film editor-director Amen Khalid, son of the late iconic filmmaker Mamat Khalid.
This year’s edition was made possible through public-private partnerships, with West Coast Expressway (WCE) as the main strategic partner to strengthen cultural connections and regional narratives.
WCE Strategic Communications & Engagement general manager, Syed Mohammed Idid, said its sponsorship reflected WCE’s commitment to preserving local arts and culture along its highway route.
He said the collaboration showed WCE’s dedication “not only to connecting destinations but to appreciating cultural heritage and fostering harmony.”
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
