Private Project

Konpaku

Inspired by actual events, Konpaku tells the story of forbidden love between a Malay-Muslim man and a sensual Japanese succubus.

Haqim's life is at a standstill, having lost his girlfriend to his best pal. A chance encounter with the sensual Japanese girl Midori, rekindles his faith in love. Their growing passion takes on a sinister twist, when strange incidents befall those close to him. This forces Haqim to grapple with the truth that Midori's love comes at a deadly price. Meaning 'soul' in Japanese, KONPAKU challenges the concept of love,  within the confines of one's faith and sexuality.

  • Remi M Sali
    Director
  • Ho Pak Kin
    Executive Producer
  • Julie M Sali
    Producer
  • Remi M Sali
    Writer
  • June M Sali
    Writer
  • Dzul Sungit
    Director of Photography
  • Remi M Sali
    Editor
  • Wong Kaixiang
    Sound Recordist
  • Safuan Hamid
    Sound Recordist
  • Noura Salleh
    Makeup Effects
  • Nysa Anyssa
    Makeup Effects
  • Najib Musa
    Production Designer
  • Gabriel Matzkin
    Special Effects
  • Backbeat Studios
    Sound Mixing
  • Junaidi M Sali
    Key Cast
    "Haqim"
  • Lizzie V
    Key Cast
    "Midori"
  • Kamariah Osman
    Key Cast
    "Mother"
  • Fir Rahman
    Key Cast
    "Taufiq"
  • Najib Aziz
    Key Cast
    "Sam"
  • Haizad Imram
    Key Cast
    "Dre"
  • Hilmi Daniel
    Key Cast
    "Hilmi"
  • Zxazxa Wee
    Key Cast
    "Old Succubus"
  • Emma Adora
    Key Cast
    "Diana"
  • Surya Rahmanty
    Key Cast
    "Liza"
  • Mahathir Abdullah
    Key Cast
    "Healer#1 (Ibrahim)"
  • Zamair Ibrahim
    Key Cast
    "Healer#2 (Narrator)"
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Supernatural, Romance
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 49 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    April 27, 2019
  • Country of Origin:
    Singapore
  • Country of Filming:
    Singapore
  • Language:
    English, Malay
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1:2.35
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • 21st Far East Film Festival
    Udine
    Italy
    April 27, 2019
    World Premiere
    In Competition
  • 14th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival
    Yogyakarta
    Indonesia
    November 21, 2019
    Asian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 10th Cambodia International Film Festival
    Phnom Penh
    Cambodia
    March 15, 2020
    Cambodian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Theatrical Release

    Singapore
    June 17, 2021
  • Lights. Camera. Singapore. on Mediacorp's meWATCH

    Singapore
    July 19, 2022
Distribution Information
  • Studio59 Concepts
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
  • Filmgarde Cineplexes
    Distributor
    Country: Singapore
    Rights: Theatrical
Director Biography - Remi M Sali

Remi M Sali has more than 20 years of experience creating long and short works, ranging from music videos to movie features. He is known for pushing boundaries when creating Malay content. His portrayal of Malays on-screen has universal appeal, and his works provide Malays with a rare platform to showcase their individuality rarely seen on mainstream media.

Pre-millennium, he passionately contributed to the budding Singapore film scene together with his long-time collaborator Dzul Sungit. Their short film 'eddy' was Special Jury Prize co-winner at Singapore International Film Festival 1994. They proceeded to win the Best Director Award for their short film 'INfluence' a year later. In 1998, they made their first feature movie 'OffCentre’, an adaptation of the acclaimed play from one of Singapore's most successful theatre companies, The Necessary Stage.

Remi was an award-winning Trailer Producer with Singapore's national broadcaster before he returned to his first love: directing. Effectively bilingual in English and Malay, he has directed popular dramas, telemovies, info-ed programmes and art series for local television. He was a nominee for Best Director Award at Pesta Perdana 2015 for the telemovie ‘Abah’.

His experience in the industry was evident when he was invited to be one of the mentors for ‘AKSI!’. The joint production between Singapore Mediacorp Suria and Radio Television Brunei featured him leading a team of aspiring film-makers to produce a short film.

Remi's fervour for telling inclusive stories of race, language and religion resonates in his latest independent films - Konpaku (2019) and Not My Mother's Baking (2020).

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Director Statement

“One night a few years back, I was a director trapped as a traumatised extra in someone else's real-life horror movie. KONPAKU was my answer to help me heal; to make sense of it all.” – Remi M Sali

In mid-2011, my family and I participated in an exorcism ritual for a close relative. Apparently, he was 'attached' to a supernatural entity that progressively affected his well-being, physically and spiritually.

I was sceptical of course. I've watched countless English and regional horror movies with exorcism scenes, but always regarded them as pure fiction (even movies that claim to be inspired from actual events). And I wasn't enthusiastic to be involved in an Islamic-based exorcism.

However, I couldn't dismiss my relative whom I've known since childhood. I thought I could sleepwalk through the whole mumbo jumbo, maybe have a good laugh with him once it was over.

But what I experienced that night shook me to the core. I was forced to confront my internal struggle with my religion and identity. My perspective on life and personal relationship with God was forever changed. KONPAKU was inspired from my journey of making sense of what I witnessed that night.

Meaning 'soul' in Japanese, KONPAKU offers an authentic portrayal of a Malay man living in Singapore. We took a huge leap of faith to make a movie with such sexually-suggestive content and coarse language, mindful of potential backlash from our largely conservative Malay-Muslim community.