On Tuesday, the national head of state Sultan Ibrahim His Majesty received international movie star Dato' Fan Bingbing, who promotes Malaysia through local films, at the Pasir Pelangi Palace in Johor Bahru.
Fan Bingbing is also the goodwill ambassador for Visit Melaka Year, and this time she is in Malaysia to promote the movie 'The Mother of the Land,' in which she stars.
The audience included 'The Mother of the Land' producer Huang Qiaoshun, award-winning director Zhang Jiaan, as well as Fan Bingbing's Malaysian manager Zhang Xinling, the latter also being a Johor native.
'The Mother of the Land' is the fourth feature film directed by Zhang Jiaan, and it enabled the veteran actress Fan Bingbing to win the Golden Horse Award for Best Leading Actress. The film is now showing in cinemas across Malaysia.
This film, blending rich local culture and mysterious elements, tells a much-anticipated story of a legendary witch's seance set in the paddy fields of Kedah.
In addition to Fan Bingbing's outstanding performance, talented actors such as Bai Runyin, Xu Enyi, Cai Baozhu, Chen Lixing, Wang Qijun, Luo Liqin, Chen Meiling and Rithaudin also joined the cast.
'The Mother of the Land' shone at the 62nd Golden Horse Awards, winning Best Leading Actress, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Film Song, out of a total of eight nominations—setting a remarkable record for Malaysian local cinema and marking a new milestone for the industry.
In addition, 'The Mother of the Land' also successfully entered the international film scene, being shortlisted for the main competition sections at the 38th Tokyo International Film Festival and the 28th Udine Far East Film Festival, showcasing a new level of visibility for Malaysian cinema on the world stage.