Depth of Darkness Malaysia

Budget USD 700,000 Financing in place USD 175,000 Production Company Fourth Frame Studios

Present at Film Bazaar Gogularaajan Rajendran Kumanavannan Rajendran Looking for Co-Producers Sales/Sales Agents Film Festivals/Programmers

Depth of Darkness

Malaysia | Tamil, Malay | Drama, Horror

Synopsis

1966. An oil palm plantation is being expanded into virgin forests. Kali, a shy, young wife, starts receiving mysterious cries from the forest, but ignores them. She lives with her mother-in-law, Chellammal, while her husband works in town. After years of trying, Kali finally conceives. Kali’s joy is disrupted when the forest sends a strong warning- a tiger. Wanting to cut ties with the forest, Kali takes over the logging expedition. As Kali strikes an ancient tree, blood gushes from its trunk. Something breaks inside her. Kali miscarries. She wraps her dead foetus in a towel and refuses to let go. After a phase of reclusion, Kali enters the forest. She buries her baby by the tree she chopped. While Kali grieves, a sprout emerges from the spot. Kali feels a heartbeat from it and discovers her renewed purpose. When the management decides to burn the forest, Kali intervenes but fails. That night, a tiger mauls the temple cow. Terrified, the community prepares a festival to calm the angered forest spirits. On festival day, at the height of the chaos, Kali is taken over by the goddess Kaliamman. What follows is the consequences of her drastic actions that determine the fate of the community.

Growing up a city boy, I’d curiously watch the Kaliamman Temple festival at the plantation my dad grew up in. There, I saw my shy aunt getting into a trance, beating up her husband. Shaken at first, then a funny thought appeared that maybe she took revenge. Years later, I met my guru, who set me up on an inward path. The incident I once judged somehow became the seed for this film. Human beings could embody god, and there is a God in us, sitting quietly glowing as light. Depth of Darkness is a story of a soul’s liberation. Infertile Kali, who yearns to be a mother, liberates herself from the oppressive reality when she realises she is Mother Nature herself. In this movie, I want to invoke Mother Goddesses. Every image in this movie would reflect the primitive and ancient, to provoke us of our deep-rooted connection to nature.

Director(s)’ Biography

Gogu is an artist and director based in Kuala Lumpur. After graduating in architecture, he began his filmmaking career as an editor, and later as an assistant director. Through his art, he aims to show that even in this bleak world, through the power of innocence, magic can exist. He is committed to telling the story of Indian Malaysians, which is rich in horror and humour, using provocative and poetic approaches. His short film, Bird on 27th floor was selected under the New Poetic Cinema programme at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen 2022.

Gogularaajan Rajendran Director

(+60) 123182945 gogularaajan@yahoo.com

Producer(s)’ Biography

Kuma is a law graduate who went on to do a filmmaking diploma. Kaali is his first feature as a producer but has over 10 years of experience working on sets as an assistant director and assistant producer. Besides Malaysia, he has lived in England, Brazil, India, Switzerland and speaks a few languages.

He produced Gogu’s previous works notably, Virus Marius which won the Kuman Pictures Challenge in 2020.

Kumanavannan Rajendran Producer

(+60) 149482340 kumanavannan@gmail.com