When it comes to choosing the official foreign-language submission to enter the Oscar race, each country carefully looks through many entries submitted by the best filmmakers. The horror genre is a rare pick for considerations. So when a Malay-language indie arthouse horror film Roh was chosen to represent Malaysia in the race for Best International Feature Film at the 2021 Oscars, it raised global media attention to this supernatural flick.

Directed and written by Emir Ezwan, Roh was made on a budget of less than 90,000 USD. The story takes place in an unspecified time, revolving around a family whose life gets turned upside down when a mysterious little girl shows up unexpectedly. Living in a forest, this family consists of a mother and two young children. They seem to enjoy a lifestyle isolated from the rest of society. One day, they find a young girl wandering around their backyard. After bringing the little girl back to their house, they receive her terrifying prediction – death is looming over the entire family and there is no escape from their doomed destiny. Then things get worse for them.

Shot in 15 days in Dengkil’s forest, Roh features only six cast members who delivered credible performances. Farah Ahmad, a seasoned Malaysian actress with two decades of theater acting background, plays the single mother. Her real-life daughter Mhia Farhana portrays the daughter in the film. This mother-and-daughter duo has worked together in three films. They command the screen with their instant and undeniable chemistry. The film takes an interesting turn when a strange spear-wielding man roams into the family’s life looking for something of ill omen. Malaysian director and actor Namron plays this mysterious character and adds captivating pulses to this slow-paced film.

Roh is the first feature film by the 40-year-old director. Holding a Bachelor in Computer and Electronics Engineering, Ezwan found his passion in creating visual effects for films, which led to his career transition into directing. In 2016, he directed a 13-minute short film titled RM10 ambitiously done in one take. The film starts with a Cantonese food stand and follows a piece of currency note passed from one hand to another over one night. It gives audiences a glimpse of Malaysia’s bustling city life. RM10 won numerous awards including Best Short Film at Festival Film Malaysia, Special Mention at Short of the year 2016 (Spain), and Best Director at  DaKINO International Film Festival 2017 (Romania).

Roh’s is rather different from the fast-paced RM10. The storytelling relies heavily on the cast’s performances and Emir’s meticulous control over the slow camera movement. Instead of intriguing its audiences with thrilling cliff hangers, Roh slowly unfolds more like a folklore that can transcend over time. It is in no rush to explain why a series of incidents are happening to the family in the film. It only hints to why the mother and her two children stay far away from advanced civilization. The whole film delivers a vague idea of each character’s purpose and their background, which leaves viewers pondering on the message of the film.

Roh premiered at the Singapore Film Festival in November 2019. It has traveled to other film festivals including Indonesia’s Jogja-Netpac Asian Film Festival, Italy’s Udine Far East Film Festival, and New York Asian Film Festival. So far, no Malaysian films have been nominated for an Oscar or a Golden Globe.