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Top honour of the night was The Special Golden Kinabalu Award (Hassan Muthalib Award for Cinematography) which went to “The Writer’s Horror” by Sergy Pudich of Thailand, its citation reads: The cinematography masterfully blurs the lines between fiction and reality through its innovative use of visual techniques.

The award is named after Muthalib – a long-time KKIFF Head Judge and legendary Malaysian Animator and Filmmaker.   

The Golden Award for Best Direction was won by “Beton Sakti” by Alfred Banze & Augus Nur Amal of Indonesia. The citation reads: This short film powerfully critiques modern development by juxtaposing its relentless expansion with raw beauty and vulnerability of natural environments and animal inhabitants.  

The Golden Kinabalu Award for Storytelling went to “The Other Kuala/Kuala Lain” by Adam Taufig Suharto of Malaysia. The citation reads: A compelling short film that explores the fragmented nature of memories, weaving together past and present. And at the same time shows how vulnerable memories are. 

The Golden Kinabalu Award for Creativity was given to “Defectives” by Director Jalen Buenaseda and Producer Midguel Galano of the Philippines. The citation reads: This short film brilliantly employs robots and mechanical elements to craft a unique narrative exploring the essence of humanity.            

Four Special Mentions include “Kataw” by Alyssa Ashley Gordova of the Philippines; “The Wrestler” by Juan Carlo Balasbas Tarobal, also of the Philippines; “Parcel” by Shera Anwar of Malaysia and “Where They Belong” by Ryot Alfred Ujin of Sabah.    

The two jury who decided the award winners were Al Jafree Md Yusop and Kok Siew Wai.

In all, a total of 39 entries competed, with the best short films under 10 minutes from across Southeast Asia being showcased on the Award Night,  

In a statement, KKIFF lauds its 16th edition as a ‘milestone’ in championing independent filmmaking across Southeast Asia, bringing together a crowd of filmmakers, storytellers, producers and film lovers held at the heart of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, through a lineup of screenings, workshops, labs and competitions.     

Present were the Guest of Honour – Dato’ Hans Isaac, Chairman of the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas), Jude Day, Festival Director of KKIFF, Datuk Adeline Leong, Patron of KKIFF, Rina Furubayashi, Head of Cultural Affairs, The Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur, and Rita Lasimbang, CEO of the Kadazandusun Language Foundation (KLF).