In conversation with Silat Legenda’s director Hassan Muthalib about the making of Malaysia’s first animation feature film

The year 2023 marked the 25th anniversary of the theatrical release of Silat Legenda in cinemas: it was the first animation feature film (in the Malay language) ever made in Malaysia when it was screened in 1998. With a production cost of about RM 5 million (approximately USD 1.2 million), the film was however a box-office flop and did not break even; one film review considered that its animators were ‘not up to mark yet’. In January 2024, the authors talked to Silat Legenda ’s director Hassan Muthalib about the film’s production: he reminisced and reflected on his experiences making this milestone film in Malaysian cinema history over a period of three years.