The Fox King
Malaysian filmmaker Woo Ming Jin returns to SFFILM with this fable-like story about twin brothers trying to make a life for themselves with scant resources as they reel from their mother’s death.
Description
Amir and Ali are twins reeling from their mother’s death in childbirth. Plus, their deadbeat dad won’t let the boys stay with him, so they work for the owner of a fishing business who gives them rudimentary shelter. Amir speaks rarely, only using the names of animals to communicate, but his passion for reading creates a connection with new English teacher, Lara, who has past traumas of her own. Amid a human trafficking scandal and their father’s shady business schemes, Amir and Ali make a life for themselves with scant resources. But as a kite flying competition looms and Amir and Lara‘s bibliophilia alienates Ali, tensions between the brothers threaten their bond. Malaysian filmmaker Woo Ming Jin, who returns to the Festival after Monday Morning Glory (Festival 2005) and Woman on Fire Looks for Water (Festival 2010), brings a fable-like charm to the poetic story, grounded in naturalistic performances by the main protagonists. –Rod Armstrong
Biographies
One of the leading voices of the Malaysian New Wave, Woo Ming Jin is the first Malaysian director in history to represent the country at Cannes, Berlinale, and the Venice Film Festival. He made his feature debut with Monday Morning Glory (Festival 2005) and among his other feature works are The Elephant and the Sea (2007), Kurus (2008), Woman on Fire Looks for Water (Festival 2010), The Tiger Factory (2010), Resurrection (2011), and Stone Turtle (Festival 2023).
