KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — You can call her a singer, actress, social media sensation, and now Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) ambassador— she is none other than the talented Daiyan Trisha, a familiar name in the Malaysian entertainment scene.

MIFFest has been riding a wave of excitement since its dazzling opening last Saturday, July 19, and this marks the artist’s third time being part of the festival but her first ever time as an ambassador — joining acclaimed local stars Siti Saleha and returning ambassador Bront Palarae in this year’s lineup.

Malay Mail had the opportunity to sit down with the artist herself, who shared her thoughts on embracing a new role at MIFFest, reflecting on the significance of being named an ambassador for the festival’s eighth edition.

“I feel very honoured that Joanne (president of MIFFest) asked me to be one of the ambassadors this year.

“I feel like it's a good platform for me to learn and get to know the competing films, and other filmmakers from other countries.

“I just take it as an opportunity to learn more about filmmaking and maybe expose MIFFest to my audience,” said Daiyan.

The film enthusiast 

MIFFest is all about celebrating film across borders — a sentiment that resonates deeply with Daiyan, who grew up as a passionate film enthusiast watching international titles.

“As Malaysians, I think it's a Malaysian thing to watch Bollywood or Hong Kong films, and we’re so exposed to them.

“I think culturally, there are a few films outside of Malaysia and Hollywood that are really close to our hearts,” she shared.

Her cinematic interests span a wide range of international films — from Bollywood classics like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) to some Thai horror and comedy, as well as Korean content.

Now on the sixth day of MIFFest, Daiyan already has a long list of films she’s eager to catch on the big screen.

Each film she’s seen thus far has been a rollercoaster of emotions — deeply moving, heartbreakingly real, and so vivid that she feels every heartbeat and tear of the characters come alive on screen.

Why it's time for Malaysians to explore international movies beyond Hollywood

It’s no secret that Malaysians have a deep love for Hollywood films and, in recent years, there has been a noticeable shift where many are starting to embrace local productions and a growing range of Indonesian titles.

According to Daiyan, now is the perfect time for Malaysians to push that love for film even further — beyond familiar borders.

“Now it's the perfect time because there is no excuse to learn about other cultures beyond Malaysia and Hollywood — these two that we are really accustomed to.

“I feel like we are doing fine, like with Korean films, and also with the rise of Thai films, like the recent How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024), where I feel Malaysians watch it and relate very well,” said Daiyan.

She believes that MIFFest plays a key role in expanding that perspective.

“With MIFFest, I feel maybe we can expose them to other kinds of stories because these European films have such a way of storytelling, and the way their cultures are involved in and their own emotions and own perspective.

“I feel like with more people knowing MIFFest, more will go to the showtime and explore European films, such as from Italy, and the Middle East,” she added.

“It's just something we need to slowly learn to accept, and that's why MIFFest is around to introduce the young generation to these other films.”

Happy to return as MIFFest ambassador, if given a chance

This year's MIFFest will run until July 27, with the closing film being Transamazonia, an international co-production spanning France, Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, and Taiwan, with the Golden Global Awards to be held at Zepp KL this saturday.

Looking ahead, if opportunity arises, Daiyan hopes to return as an ambassador in future editions of the festival, eager to continue being part of this vibrant celebration of film.

"I'm proud to be a part of MIFFest because, as a Malaysian, being involved in something of this scale — something that connects us internationally — would have seemed unbelievable five, ten, even fifteen years ago.

“We've come so far as a nation in the global film industry,” said Daiyan.

“To see Malaysia growing into an Asian, ASEAN, and even European cinematic hub — bringing together people from all over the world to be part of our international film festival — is something I take great pride in.

“It shows how far we've come, and to me, that's what MIFFest represents," she concluded.