Jason Brooke witnesses MoU for S’wak’s first animated musical film on White Rajah

The storyline follows James Brooke, covering his arrival in Borneo, efforts to curb piracy and slavery, and his appointment as Rajah of Sarawak in 1841.

By Amanda L

KUCHING, May 5: A landmark effort to bring Sarawak’s early history to the big screen advanced today with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the State’s first animated musical feature film on the White Rajah, witnessed by Jason Brooke, with the production slated for cinema release on July 22, 2028 in conjunction with Sarawak Day.

Led by Motion Foundry, the project will adapt an existing stage musical into a 75-minute animated film. It builds on earlier work by the team in filming the stage production, which later inspired plans for a wider screen adaptation.

Producer Amy Khiu said the decision to develop the film was driven by the production’s strong reception on stage.

“We saw how the story brought a whole community together. That was when we realised it deserved a wider platform,” she said at the event held at the Borneo Cultures Museum.

The film follows James Brooke, tracing his arrival in Borneo, his efforts to curb piracy and slavery, and his appointment as Rajah of Sarawak in 1841, while situating his journey within Sarawak’s broader historical and cultural context.

It will also highlight interactions with local communities, including Malay, Chinese and Dayak groups, with the aim of strengthening awareness of Sarawak’s heritage among younger audiences.

Director Siew Chung Lee said the production is expected to involve at least 50 personnel across animation and creative departments, including animators, designers, voice actors and composers.

“Wherever possible, we want these roles to be filled by local talent. This is an opportunity to develop our creative industry and show that a project of this scale can be produced in Sarawak,” he said.

He added that character design will begin next month, with a structured production timeline already in place. Casting has yet to be finalised, with open auditions planned to encourage participation from Sarawakians, including those based outside the State.

Adapting the stage production into animation presents both technical and narrative challenges, particularly in translating live performance elements into a cinematic format.

The MoU marks the beginning of a multi-year collaboration, with promotional activities and related engagement events planned ahead of the film’s release. —DayakDaily