Director Jacky Yeap, however, hopes that in future, people will associate Taiping with local films.
In honour of Taiping’s 150th anniversary this year, he organised the inaugural Raintown Film Festival, a celebration of the town through the silver screen.
“After working as a script writer and director in Kuala Lumpur for almost 10 years, I always wanted to return to my hometown in Taiping to start my career as a filmmaker there.
“But I found it hard because there was no film community there, I had no idea how to start,” Yeap, who directed the 2023 film “Sometime, Sometime,” told FMT Lifestyle.
“So I decided to step out of my comfort zone, and try to run a film festival in Taiping. I believe this initiative will allow both Taiping residents and visitors to experience the city’s charm and serenity through film.”
The three-day event, which will take place in Paragon Cinemas, Taiping Mall, will screen four local films shot in Taiping.
It opens with (very appropriately) “Rain Town,” directed by Tunku Mona Riza, followed by Ho Yuhang’s “Rain Dogs,” Shanjey Kumar Perumal’s “Jagat” and the historical documentary “Ah Kew the Digger” directed by Khoo Eng Yow.
These four films span a timeline of two decades and will provide audiences a unique look at Taiping’s evolution through the ages. Filmmakers will be present for post-screening Q&A sessions with the audience.
There will also be a short film festival, showcasing six films also shot in Taiping.
These are “Walid Wants To Make A Film” by Isyraqi Yahya, “Zen Is Everywhere” by Tham Wai Fook, “The Tale of the Vampire Sultan” by Ahmed Iwaz, “Rojak Romance” by Christine Seow, “The Time Machine of Taiping Laundry” by Yang Chong Lee & Fun Shing Wei, and “The Day That River Ran Red” by Sun-J Perumal.
Also look out for a sharing session titled “Inspiring Local Stories Through Documentaries” and the “Everyone Can Be a Director!” workshop, which Yeap hopes will inspire residents and emerging filmmakers to record local stories and enter the film industry.
The highlight of the event, however, will be an outdoor screening of the P Ramlee 1961 black-and-white classic “Seniman Bujang Lapok,” shown with authorisation by Shaw Brothers Singapore.
“I felt that something essential would be missing if we didn’t include an event in the heart of Taiping – the iconic Taiping Lake Gardens.
“It seemed fitting to bring a piece of the festival outdoors, where the community could gather and enjoy the experience together in a more relaxed, open setting,” Yeap said.
Ultimately, Yeap hopes the festival will ignite a passion for filmmaking among the local community, particularly the people of Taiping. His aim is to encourage them to wield their smartphones or cameras, to visually capture and share the unique stories of the town with the world.
Might there be another Raintown Film Festival in future? Yeap certainly hopes so. His dream is for this to be an annual event in his hometown.
“Our vision is to continue growing the festival, allowing it to showcase even more films, including short films, of films from people who were born in Taiping, or have chosen Taiping as a film location,” Yeap said.
“We hope that over time, the festival will serve as a platform for local talent to shine. Hopefully, it will also attract filmmakers from other regions, who want to tell their stories against the beautiful and culturally rich backdrop of Taiping.”
The 1st Raintown Film Festival
Venue: Paragon Cinemas, Taiping Mall, Jalan Tupai, Taiping, Perak.
Date: Sept 13-15
Tickets are free upon registration here.
For more information, follow the Raintown Film Festival on Facebook and Instagram.