Locarno Winner Woo Ming Jin's 'The Fox King' unveils first glimpse ahead of screening at TIFF 2025

Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], September 8 : The makers of the Malaysian filmmaker Woo Ming Jin's latest directorial 'The Fox King' have unveiled a clip from the movie ahead of its premiere screening at the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival.

The Malaysia-Indonesia co-production, selected for Toronto's Centerpiece section, marks the second collaboration between Woo and Indonesian producer Yulia Evina Bhara, according to Variety.

It is followed by their Locarno Fipresci Prize-winning film 'Stone Turtle' in 2022.

According to Variety, 'The Fox King' follows a 15-year-old Ali and his fraternal twin Amir, who communicates in a way only Ali understands. When their father remarries, the boys are sent to work at a salted fish factory run by family acquaintance Lonny.

As they navigate bullying at school and the arrival of a new English teacher, Lara, who awakens their adolescent hearts, tragedy forces Ali to confront loss, loyalty and the transition from childhood to adulthood.

The film stars Indonesian screen icon Dian Sastrowardoyo as Lara alongside Malaysian actors Idan Aedan and Hadi Putra, who takes on his first feature lead role.

As per the first clip, Sastrowardoyo performs a swimming synchronisation at a beach while actor Idan Aedan and Hadi Putra watch in awe.

KawanKawan Media shared the first clip on their YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?

The project holds personal significance for Woo, himself a twin. "At its heart, it is about the universal rites of passage that shape us all as teenagers: first love, sibling rivalry, bullying, and grief," the director Woo Ming Jin said as quoted by Variety.

"Many films about twins fall into cliches - romantic comedies or tales of sinister doubles. I wanted to go beyond that, to explore the profound, unspoken bond between twins," added director Woo Ming Jin as quoted by Variety.

The film will also premiere at the Busan International Film Festival 2025.

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