 KUALA LUMPUR: Barely three weeks after its release, local movie The Journey is making waves in the local movie scene. The movie, which stars Australian stage actor Ben Andrew Pfeiffer, former Miss Astro Chinese International Joanne Yew and 74-year-old retiree Frankie Lee, made RM12.92 million (as of Feb 23), making it the highest earning local movie of all time, beating Syamsul Yusof's KL Gangster (RM11.74 million) and Osman Ali's 2011 Ombak Rindu (RM10.9 million). With its touching storytelling, the movie marks director Chiu Keng Guan's third film after Woohoo (2010) and Great Day (2011). Set amid the rich backdrop of local Chinese festivals, such as the Jade Emperor birthday celebration at the Clan Jetties in Penang and the Chingay Parade in Johor, the story transcends cultural and social backgrounds while celebrating filial piety, love and family unity. The movie has also garnered praise from local celebrities, including popular actress Sharifah Amani. In her Instagram post, the Sepet actress commented: "A cross-continental story that explores the idea of culture, not just as tradition but as an expression of love. No hantu (ghost) with bad make-up. No big stars overdoing it. No crash boom bang. But full of love, tradition and beauty. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to watch this beautiful film. (Cry like gila) My favourite Malaysian film so far this year. With amazing shots, wonderful story and honest performances The Journey is hard to beat. Well done director, cast and team. Thank you for a beautiful film. There is still hope for Malaysian films." Award-winning actress, Datin Sofia Jane, known for her role in Suratan Kasih, also tweeted her praise: "I'm so glad for its overwhelming run. I enjoyed it tremendously. Wished my dad was around to watch it with me. #thejourney'" When met for a comment, Chiu thanked Malaysians for their support. "Thank you for making The Journey Malaysia's No. 1 local movie. "We (the cast and crew) are delighted and overwhelmed by the unanimous support and words of encouragement by Malaysians, and spreading all the good word through word of mouth, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and so on. It's a beautiful movie with a huge appeal to Malaysian diversity." Pfeiffer, who played the happy-go-lucky Benji, was overwhelmed by the film's reception. "This movie truly belongs to the Malaysian people. What a surprising and beautiful outcome for everyone involved. I would like to thank Astro Shaw for placing their faith in the entire team. "It feels like this will be a film that stays in the hearts of all who witness it for a long time to come. It's become a cultural and national treasure."  Pfeiffer is currently involved in a large scale Australian theatre production titled Ghosts. Set in the present day, The Journey is about a conservative father, Uncle Chuan (Lee), who lives by a set of rigid rules. When his only daughter, Bee (Yew), returns home from England with an English fiancé in tow, Uncle Chuan develops an instant dislike to Benji. When Bee breaks the news of her marriage to Benji, Uncle Chuan refuses to give his blessings. With the cultural barrier set to damage their relationship, Benji knows he must do something to amend the father-daughter relationship. After much persuasion, Uncle Chuan finally agrees, but on one condition, the wedding ceremony has to be done in his way, the traditional way. They embark on a nationwide journey to hand-deliver wedding invitations to the latter's childhood friends. Throughout the journey, they learn valuable lessons about embracing each other's differences. Shot in locations in Malaysia, including Cameron Highlands and the beaches of Sabah, the movie is playing in cinemas nationwide. It will make its theatrical debut in Singapore next month and is slated for release in Taiwan later this year. -NST-
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