Program Note
Upon Tombiruo’s birth, there is a tragic family history as well as the secret of getting a jungle’s spirit by the blessing of nature. He goes through revenge as he loses his father due to a vicious entrepreneur who presses ahead with construction of dam through tyranny such as logging and deportation. However, Tombiruo struggles as he faces obstacle due to an antagonist with a great power and misunderstanding. Tombiruo, who tries to protect nature and villagers against civilization and capitalism, is a figure from Malaysian mythology. In addition to the original story by a best-selling author Ramlee Awang Murshid, production ability of a VFX-professional director makes delightful and mysterious action scenes spectacular with Mother Nature of Borneo as background. The movie makes Tombiruo’s biological movements stand out by various editing and shooting techniques such as the super high camera, slow motion, and 1.2 x speeds. Also, regarding the supernatural movements of the forest, this movie shows reverence to Mother Nature’s irresistible greatness by choosing CG close to real description rather than groundless imagination. This masterpiece makes implications regarding business management, vocational ethics, and the press’s public accountability. It also preaches that value and economic logics of trying to convert happiness into monetary value should be stopped. (HONG Eun-hwa)