KUCHING: ‘Space Between’, a short film slated to be released soon will feature Niah Caves, and the timing could not be more perfect.
Directed by Sarawakian filmmaker Danish Busmah, the short film will be released on TVS, specifically during Father’s Day, with plans for international distribution.
The timing could not be more perfect to feature Niah Caves due to its acquisition of the Unesco World Heritage Site status last year, with the film aligning with tourism initiatives and aiming to enhance the wonders of Niah Caves through a fictionalised narrative.
In a short impromptu interview with Sarawak Tribune, Danish spoke more in detail on the idea of the film, why the story is one of his most personal works to date, and how will the short film promote Niah Caves, particularly from the tourism aspect.
THE IDEA BEHIND SPACE BETWEEN
Danish said the idea and inspiration behind ‘Space Between’ has to do with the relationship between a father and daughter.
It is a story of struggle — balancing the responsibility of caring for a daughter, the fight for sustenance, and the pursuit of an inherited legacy.
“From this, I was inspired to fictionalise the narrative into something more relatable to the Niah community.
“The goal of this project is not only to promote Niah but also to go beyond mere visuals by embedding a heartfelt story that resonates with the audience, making it more meaningful and impactful,” he said.
Danish revealed that he worked to develop the script for over a year with one of his writers.
“To be honest with you, there was a lot of draft for this script. So throughout the year, we had different versions of this story before we finally stuck with the final draft.
“And because of this, we decided to propose the story and idea to the Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Ministry and TVS.
“They loved it, and they wanted to work with us in terms of the distribution of the short film,” he said.
Danish said another two months included researching the Niah Cave itself and the community around it.
“And that is where we sort of merge together the location and as well as the story itself into one piece,” he said.
IT IS PERSONAL
One particular reason why ‘Space Between’ is one of Danish’s most personal works to date has to do with him being into nature.
“I am very into nature, and I did a lot of caving expeditions before.
“Witnessing the ongoing efforts in nature preservation is something very close to my heart.
“In that sense, it deeply resonates with me and aligns with my desire to highlight Niah Cave as a majestic inheritance — not only for the surrounding community but for humanity as a whole.
“It is about preserving and cherishing the prestige and grandeur of what we already have,” he added.
THE CASTING AND THE VISUAL
Danish said for the casting, it did not take him too long to look for the suitable actor, particularly Julai Billie, as they had indirectly worked together previously.
“I worked with him when he appeared in a lot of cameos before. When we were developing the story, we sort of had the idea that he will be the main actor in the story.
“I already knew that he (Julai) is the perfect fit for the main role,” he said, adding that the main character is a father who collects bird’s nests.
When it comes to the visual aspect, Danish said he wants the film to subtly promote Niah Cave.
He wants to portray Niah as viewed by the community there in terms of its myths and legends.
“For instance, how the Iban and Penan community imagine Niah as something that is beyond our spiritual belief,” he said.
PROMOTING NIAH CAVE
While the goal is to promote Niah Cave, Danish wants the film to showcase beyond Niah.
“We want to showcase the community surrounding it and how they truly merge with nature.
“Most importantly, we want to show how mother nature becomes the main source of prosperity that has been feeding the community for decades even centuries,” he said.
SPACE BETWEEN RESONATE WITH THE AUDIENCE
Danish hopes the short film will resonate with the audience, as the story is not just about a relationship between a father and his daughter.
“The story is also about the struggle of prosperity and inheritance, and I hope the audience can relate to it universally, not just among the locals but also the international audience.
“I hope that they can see regardless where we are from, we are all struggling with the same thing, which is about getting that happiness,” he said.
On another note, he also hopes to see more progress happening in the creative industry in Sarawak.
“For instance, we have witnessed several films from Sarawak receiving nominations at the Malaysian Film Festival, and I’m happy to see that.
“If we are progressing, it also depends on the creative individuals and stakeholders themselves, and how they can push further without just hoping for support from the state government and its initiatives.
“If we push further, I think a lot of us would be able to go beyond just Sarawak and Malaysia, and hopefully, in terms of producing more films, producing more music video projects, as well as short films.
“Hopefully, we can see a lot more will go up to the level of Netflix, online platforms, streaming platforms, and also a lot more submissions to international festivals,” he said.
