Julie’s Biscuits busts stereotypes, spotlights gender equality in Hari Raya short film sequel
Julie’s Biscuits is shaking things up again, tackling the age-old issue of stereotypical roles with a twist in their latest Hari Raya short film titled ‘Ini Iklan Raya Baru, Tau?’ (This is a Raya Ad, isn’t it?) The film created by GOVT Singapore, flips the script of its 2021 production, busting typical stereotypes we see in society today. Set against the backdrop of preparations for a Hari Raya celebration, the film invites Malaysians to explore traditional definitions of stereotypical roles and see how antiquated expectations no longer hold in today’s day and age.
Available to watch on the Julie’s Biscuits You Tube channel and website, ‘Ini Iklan Raya Baru, Tau?’ will see the return of much-loved Malaysian actor Amerul Affendi playing the role of ‘Tuan Direktor’. In the ad, the cast and crew seem determined to thwart the stereotypical ideas and script with their breakaway thoughts, leaving ‘Tuan Direktor’ disheartened and failing to produce his desired Hari Raya ad.
In the scene ‘Kuih Mak-More’, actress Nadiya Nisaa, she even goes so far as to challenge the script, asking why she must be portrayed as a frenzied mum to show her commitment to her family’s Hari Raya celebration. ‘Ini Iklan Raya Baru, Tau?’ also features actor Afdlin Shauki (who plays the dad in ‘Bila Nak Ka’) and his real-life and on-screen daughter Mia Sara Shauki.
Traditional roles in Malaysian households are evolving, and today, a person’s attributes and characteristics rather than their gender, ethnicity, or age define their behaviours and attitudes. The short film invites viewers to consider changes in culturally defined stereotypical roles as people reframe their views.
Tzy Horng Sai, Director of Julie’s Biscuits, said: “Julies Biscuits are about people, making connections, breaking barriers and building bridges. We believe that talent, ability and ideas know no gender. While we as a community have made progressive steps forward, there is still much to do if we want to enact change and change mindsets on a larger scale. As we share merriment and laughter in celebration of Hari Raya, we want to encourage people to take a moment to reflect and explore how they can spread this message to strengthen the bonds of family, friendship and humanity.”
‘Ini Iklan Raya Baru, Tau?’ was developed by the Malaysian commercial, short film, series and music video production house Layar Lucida.
“In the film/creative industry, I often see stereotypical roles on screen, and working with Julie’s on this ad is a refreshing change to address a topic frequently discussed with peers. Many people look forward to watching festive-themed ads, and it is a vast platform to share important messages. Using light-heartedness to convey serious topics makes people more comfortable and receptive, and I hope this ad can reach and resonate with as many people as possible. I appreciate Julie’s Biscuits for allowing us to continue to tell our stories for ‘Ini Iklan Raya Baru, Tau?”, said Junad M. Nor, Film Director, Layar Lucida.
In producing ‘Ini Iklan Raya Baru, Tau?’, Julie’s Biscuits renewed its collaboration with GOVT Singapore, the independent creative agency behind “The Worst Feng Shui Master” and “Operation Maybe”.
“Continuing last year’s Raya theme, we collectively exchanged conversations with everyday people about the stereotypes that exist. It’s a delight that we get to bring to light these insights, reminding people that we can all do our part to break these stereotypes. We believe that sometimes it’s a little easier to make people chuckle and notice the touchy topics that go unaddressed – in our ad’s case, it’s the stereotypical elephants in the room. And that has always been what we try to bring across in our work for Julie’s,” says Alvina Seah, Managing Director, GOVT Singapore.
