*** UPDATED with proper synopsis courtesy of screen writer James Thoo ***
Some time ago this year, news floated about that there was a new independent feature being made and it was called Jarum Halus. We thought, well whatever that means, because the title translates as "fine needle." Not exactly an enticing title, and with a lot of so-called "independent" films being made, what were the chances of this one being a stand-out?
Now, a subtitled trailer has appeared on YouTube, and ... well, it looks good. Helmed by relative unknown Mark Tan, this film has all the trademark looks of a fine thriller, and what's more, it's a contemporary take on Shakespeare's Othello. It stars, among the newcomers, actress and TV host Juliana Ibrahim and veteran thespian Rahim Razali (Juliana had a memorable role in Yasmin Ahmad's Gubra and Rahim will be seen in Yasmin's upcoming Muallaf).
Young Chinese executive Daniel Oh is the blue-eyed boy of his Malay boss Datuk Kalel. When Daniel elopes with another Malay colleague’s daughter Mona, his best friend and fellow employee Iskandar – Kalel’s son – uses this as the seed in a plot to bring about Daniel’s downfall. JARUM HALUS is a story about the fragility of relationships, and how “little sins” can easily snowball into great tragedy.
The film is scheduled for general release in January next year, and there are plans for submitting it to some major festivals.