Kota Kinabalu: Sabahan filmmaker Bebbra Mailin received the Best Director award at the 11th Kuala Lumpur Film Critics Awards (AMPFKL11) on Saturday for her feature film “Ninavau”.
The film also earned the Best Screenplay award for Bebbra and co-writer Muzammer Rahman.
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Presented annually by the Kuala Lumpur Film Critics Circle (MPFKL), the awards recognise outstanding Malaysian films based on artistic, aesthetic and cinematic merit.
“Ninavau”, Bebbra’s first feature film as director, tells the story of a Kadazan woman who returns to Sabah for her younger sister’s wedding while concealing her conversion to Islam from her family.
The story centres on family relationships, personal choices, and acceptance as the title character navigates expectations within a household closely connected to the local church.
Bebbra, who was born and raised in Kota Kinabalu, previously said her experiences growing up in a Catholic family and later moving to the peninsula inspired the film’s exploration of identity, faith and belonging.
She described “Ninavau”, which means “light” in Kadazan, as a story that examines family, love, sacrifice and the choices that shape people’s lives.
The film stars Sabahan actors Jovenea Jim, Tati Eliana Tonny and Edward Sinsong, with cinematography by Indonesian filmmaker Bayu Prihantoro Filemon and music recorded in Japan under the direction of Andrew Boong.
Bebbra has previously earned recognition for works including “Eye Love”, “Langad di Odu”, “Rapuh” and the short film version of “Ninavau”, which won Best Short Film at the Malaysia International Film Fest (Miffest) in 2019.
Produced by Kristal Azmir Sdn Bhd and Le Mediator Studio Sdn Bhd, “Ninavau” opened Miffest 2025 as the first Sabah-made film to receive the honour before its nationwide release in December last year.
