8 Sep – Prime Minister Dato' Seri Ismail Sabri recently congratulated filmmaker U-Wei Saari for using Bahasa Melayu at the Moscow International Film Festival. The Prime Minister, via his social media account, wrote, "Congratulations to U-Wei Saari, the country's most famous film director, for being chosen to represent Malaysia as the Chief Jury at the Moscow International Film Festival. This is a tribute to the country's film world." "Well done for empowering and internationalising the Malay language by delivering a speech and announcing the winners in Bahasa Melayu in Moscow." Speaking about his decision to speak in Bahasa Melayu at the event, U-Wei stated that he chose to do so as a way to dignify the mother tongue. "As a Malaysian filmmaker and representing Malaysia, it was appropriate for me to use my mother tongue to speak and announce the winner that night," said U-Wei. On the other hand, U-Wei, who was elected the jury head for the documentary film category, announced Sergei Debizhev's "The Holy Archipelago" as the winner of the Best Documentary at the festival.