Acting workshop exposes Kadazandusun and Murut movie talents

Rostinitah Jinkong, 33, says she was a very shy person. She couldn’t imagine herself acting in front of a camera. And she suffered from stage fright. But the Kadazandusun mother of two now sees herself playing the role of a villain in a movie. This dramatic transformation has come after she spent five days at an acting workshop from March 22 to 26 at the Penampang Cultural Centre in Kota Kinabalu.

“You have to be very brave to stand in front of an audience,” she tells Insight Sabah. “During the five days, I was taught how to overcome the jitters. It was a great experience. You must have very thick skin to face the camera.”

Ms Jinkong of Ranau was one of 22 Kadazandusuns and Muruts who learnt to act in movies and plays at the workshop organised by the Indigenous Heritage Association of Sabah. The National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (Finas) provided the training. Famous Malaysian actor Hasnul Rahmat was their teacher.

Now Ms Jinkong imagines herself as Glenn Close who plays the villain Cuella de Vil in Waltz Disney’s 101 Dalmatians and the kung-fu fighting Michelle Yeoh of the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fame.

“Wow! That’s fun! I can imagine myself fly-kicking in the air!” she exclaims. “In my life, I’m a nice woman and good mother. But I’d like to play the opposite in a movie or a play. It’s challenging. Playing the good woman is boring and it isn’t that spectacular.”

Ms Jinkong works as a programme coordinator with the Sabah Cultural Board. For 16 years, she has worked behind the scene organising cultural dances and plays. But she didn't imagine herself acting.

“It was out of curiosity that I went to the workshop,” she says. “Now, I just want to feel what it is like to be an actress and see my face on television.”

Mahyidin Mustakim, Finas director-general, says 90% of those who attended the workshop have never acted in movies or plays.

“They had no idea what acting is,” he says. “After after five days, three or four of them have shown that they have great acting talent. Given time and the right training they will be stars in their own right.”

Mr Mahyidin encourages them to take up diploma courses at the Akademi Filem Malaysia.The Malaysian film industry, he says, is expected to gross about 60m ringgit ($18m) from 30 movies this year. Last year, it earned 50.3m ringgit from 26 movies compared to 43m ringgit from 25 movies in 2008.

He says that the industry is growing and that the highest a Malaysian film has earned is 7.5m ringgit from last year’s “Adenan Sempit”, adding that a Malaysian movie earns an average 2m ringgit.

Sabahan filmmakers can also get funding from Finas for up to 5m ringgit, Mr Mahyidin says. – Insight Sabah

– Reported by Jenney Juanis