Malaysia is a country rich in culture, heritage, traditions, and folklore. Each state has its own stories and meanings behind them. Legend of Ancient Borneo explores traditional folklore in Sabah. Moreover, it’s the first ever short film completely in the Kadazan language. This amazing short film is great for kids and has won many awards, both here and internationally.
Legend of Ancient Borneo
The story itself is based on a Malaysian comic which is the creation of Robertson Sondoh Jr and Kwan Thung Seng. Legend of Ancient Borneo is the work of All-For-One Production and is set in a simple village in Sabah that possesses an ancient relic. It is a dragon skull which is responsible for protecting the village from an evil curse.
Additionally, some of the villagers have mystical powers such as super strength, super speed, and more. Everything in the village is safe and the well until one day when the ancient relic is stolen.
We won’t give away too much spoilers about what happens. However, the ending might be a bit unexpected. There are definitely lessons to learn from the story and it’s also a great way to teach children.
In addition to being the first animated short film in Kadazan, it also features the voice of actor Boni Mosios. In fact, the entire team from All-For-One Production that worked on Legend of Ancient Borneo were local Sabahan talent.
Awards and Recognitions
Moving on, while the animation is simple and 2D, the story itself is why we should watch it. It explores both a culture that is important in Malaysia as well as important lessons to remember. As a result, Legend of Ancient Borneo is the recipient of many awards.
Some of these awards include Best Digital Animated Short Film in the Malaysian Digital Film Awards, Best Animated Short Film in the Great Message International Film Festival in India, and the Malaysian Silver Winner in the 21st Digicon6 Asia.
