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World Fantastic Red

Motel Acacia

Bradley LIEW

Philippines, Slovenia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand2020 92min Korean Premiere

Program Note

JC is a young Filipino man forced to take over a remote motel in the wilderness of the northern USA, owned by his tyrant father. Assumed to be providing shelter to illegal immigrants on their way to Canada, JC and the guests soon discover the motel is a home to a dark and ancient spirit. As the blizzard traps the guests, their desperate fight for survival begins.

The 2nd feature from Bradley Liew, a Philippine-based Malaysian director of a critical hit debut Singing in the Graveyard, Motel Acacia is an ambitious horror-tale combining Filipino folklore of tree demon with current issue of anti-immigration policies of USA. JC is torn between seeking acceptance from his estranged right-wing father and doing the right thing for the unfortunate immigrants. In the end, we see the true evil lies not in the form of a monster but in a greedy human nature. A coproduction between several countries in multiple continents, Motel Acacia is also an ex-official selection of BIFAN’s NAFF It Project. (Jongsuk Thomas NAM)

Diretor

Bradley LIEW

Malaysian-born, Philippines-based filmmaker. His feature debut film Singing in Graveyards (2016) premiered at the Venice Film Festival Critics’ Week. He produced Lav Diaz’s Berlinale Competition feature, Season of the Devil (2018). Motel Acacia is his second feature as a writer and director.