Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Julie’s is redefining festive storytelling with its latest Hari Raya short film called ‘Selamat Lari Raya’. Known for its thought-provoking festive narratives, the brand takes a new approach this year–delivering a story that is deeply moving and haunting, yet heartwarming. For the brand, the short film invites viewers on a journey of reflection, questioning the true meaning of forgiveness this festive season.
The short film centres around the life of Johan, a man who has spent his life running from his problems and past. Played by the popular Malaysian actor Fimie Don, Johan’s life was anything but easy. Orphaned at a young age and raised by his grandparents, he eventually fell in with the wrong crowd. This led him down a path of crime and ultimately, prison.
Moreover, the film explores how Johan’s greatest burden isn’t serving time in prison. It is the overwhelming guilt he carries over the death of his beloved grandmother Melati, portrayed by Dian P. Ramlee, whose shadow continues to visit him in his darkest moments being locked up.
While behind bars, Johan’s grandfather, Pak Hassan, played by veteran actor Dato A. Tamimi Siregar, desperately tries to reconnect with him. But riddled by guilt, Johan refuses his bid for connection. Determined not be ignored, Hassan embarks on an unexpected mission, by attempting various petty crimes to land himself in the same prison as Johan and succeeded.
Now with Hassan in prison, and Melati’s lingering presence by his side, Johan has nowhere left to run. Johan was forced by his grandparents to finally face his past and grief that he had been burying for so long. Instead of judgement, he is met with love and forgiveness that had been there all along.
As Johan reflected on childhood memories of Hari Raya with his grandparents, especially during the tradition of seeking forgiveness through ‘salam’–Johan finally understands a lesson they once taught him: forgiveness must start within. By accepting their forgiveness and most importantly, learning to forgive himself, Johan finds peace within and rekindles his bond with Hassan.
Tzy Horng Sai, director of Julie’s Biscuits, said, “As we mark our fifth year of Raya storytelling, we take our audiences on a self-reflective emotional journey about familial reconciliation and forgiveness. Our film delves into the silent killer of unresolved guilt and grief that destroy family dynamics. However, Hari Raya is a time of renewal, healing, and second chances, and we show the importance of addressing the psychological barriers in our healing process.”
He added, “To bring this powerful narrative to life, we collaborated with esteemed actors, whose performances deeply embody the emotional weight of this story, making it all the more resonant and impactful.”
Meanwhile, having collaborated with Julie’s on all of the previous Hari Raya festive short films, Aaron Koh, chief creative officer at GOVT, commented, “Unlike our previous Raya films, we wanted to deliver a wild rollercoaster of emotions this year, blending suspense, humour, fear, and sadness – to resonate with people from different backgrounds. It was a risky endeavour as we have grown a large fanbase over the years, with a recognisable Julie’s Raya tonality, which we have now completely flipped for this year’s.”
He added, “This festive season is the time for forgiveness, yet self-forgiveness, a powerful step to happiness and renewal in life – is rarely discussed. We hope that with this film, we can start conversations surrounding the subject matter and to get people to focus on themselves this Raya.”
