2nd Raintown Film Festival celebrates Taiping through the lens of time

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2nd Raintown Film Festival celebrates Taiping through the lens of time

Writer: Heidi Hsia

2nd Raintown Film Festival draws 2000 attendees over three days

18 Sep - The 2nd Raintown Film Festival was successfully held from 12 to 14 September at Paragon Cinemas in Taiping Mall.

Spanning three days, the festival drew an estimated 2,000 attendees, with many screenings playing to full houses, some audience members even sat along the cinema stairways to catch the shows. Four Taiping-shot films were screened: "Rock", "The Gathering", "The Game", and "The Pirate and the Emperor's Ship". The organisers deliberately selected works from different eras to allow audiences to experience how Taiping has evolved over time on the big screen.

Beyond film screenings, the festival hosted a variety of side programmes, including a talk about Taiping's Aulong Lama village that revisited its stories from the 1970s to 1990s, and a heritage walking tour led by Mr Teoh Chee Keong, offering in-depth insights into Taiping's history and culture. These diverse events gave audiences the chance to learn about the town - fondly known as "Raintown" - beyond the cinema.

A heritage walking tour was part of the itinerary

Taking place over a long weekend, the festival attracted not only local Taiping residents but also film lovers and tourists from Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Penang and Melaka. Many took the opportunity to explore Taiping's natural beauty and historical charm while attending the screenings, experiencing the town's unique cultural atmosphere.

The closing night featured a special tribute screening of the late director Mamat Khalid's iconic Taiping-shot film "Rock", commemorating its 20th anniversary. Over a hundred Malaysian rock musicians joined the audience in celebrating the legacy of this beloved filmmaker.

"Rock" by Mamat Khalid was screened

Mamat Khalid's son Amen attended the screening

To the crowd's surprise, "Rock" star Hasnul Rahmat made a special appearance at the post-screening sharing session. He reflected on the pivotal role the film played in his acting career and shared behind-the-scenes stories from the production 20 years ago. The audience erupted in cheers and applause the moment he appeared, marking a high point of the festival's closing night.

Hasnul Rahmat attended the closing film screening with Mamat Khalid's son Amen

Rockers rocked the hall at the 20th anniversary celebration

At the opening ceremony, YB Wong Kah Woh, Deputy Minister of Education and Member of Parliament for Taiping, congratulated the organising team for successfully hosting the festival. He recalled that the festival's founder, Jacky Yeap, and his team once hesitated about continuing the festival after its first edition last year, and praised their perseverance in making this second edition possible.

Also speaking at the opening was Mr. Syed, General Manager of Communications and Public Relations at West Coast Expressway. He shared that it was Jacky Yeap's sincerity and determination that convinced them to support the festival, and added that what makes the Raintown Film Festival truly special is how it showcases the nuanced and unique diversity of being Malaysian.

This year, the festival also launched the inaugural Raintown Short Film Competition, selecting 10 finalists from 103 submissions. These shortlisted films were screened during the festival and competed for eight awards. The top honour, the Rainmaker Award, was presented by WuBen Film Magazine to recognise filmmakers who push boundaries and explore new possibilities in cinema.

Complete list of winners:

Rainmaker Award: Hadiah Dari Hujan (Dir: Aei Raa)
Best Short Film: Where The Fish Looked Up (Dir: Yeo Jun Yu)
Best Director: Chili, Garlic and Onion (Dir: Kent Tan)
Best Screenplay: Where The Fish Looked Up (Dir: Yeo Jun Yu)
Best Cinematography: Racun Di Nadi (Dir: Najib Ya'acob)
Best Sound: Hujan di Tengah Hari (Dir: Faris Nabil)
Best Sound Design: Drip by Drip (Dir: Liang Xuan)
Special Mention Award: Madeleine (Dir: Goh Zi Wei)

The 2nd Raintown Film Festival was made possible with the support of Deputy Minister of Education and Taiping MP YB Wong Kah Woh, Pokok Assam State Assemblyman YB Ong Seng Guan, as well as the ArtsFAS programme by Yayasan Hasanah under the Ministry of Finance, the Dana Kreatif Perak by PORT Ipoh, the Malaysia Sustainable Tourism Unit, and West Coast Expressway Sdn Bhd.

Cinema Online, 18 September 2025