press & Media
The Sun, Dec 2023
sabahan filmmaker wins big
For his winning submission, Don’t Get Too Close to That Edge, Anwar walked away with sponsored prizes and a new EOS R5C camera.
Capturing a traditional dancer’s relentless pursuit of perfection that pushed her to physical and emotional limits, Anwar’s film was praised by the judges for its creativity, storytelling and technical merits.
The Iskandrian, May 2023
malaysians represent at busan’s asian film
school’s international business academy
Malaysian representative, Eleanor Teh, is the producer of “Under Foreign Skies”, directed by Anwar Johari Ho, and one of the eight projects chosen for Finas My Lab 2022. Eleanor is a Zian Pictures producer best known for her short films “Forget Me Not” and “Unforgettable”.
The selection committee interviewed 39 applicants in the final step of the application process for the 2023 International Film Business Academy at Busan Asian Film School.
Thoughts on Films, by Fikri Jermadi
Short Film Review: Unforgettable
(2019) by Eleanor Teh
‘Unforgettable’ begins with the silhouette of a woman standing at the window. Smoking a cigarette, we do not see her face, only her shadowy figure dominating the screen against the window’s backlight. She then turns, asking another person in the room, “Walk around with me?” However, the scene was crafted as if the audience is invited on this walkabout.
Some of the eagle-eyed among you may recognise our protagonist as one of the lead characters in another film Eleanor has co-written and produced. ‘Forget Me Not’ was directed by Anwar Johari Ho, and here he returns the favour, adding photography and editing strings to Eleanor’s filmmaking bow.
Variety, Sep 2022
Malaysian film lab unites with Singapore,
Philippines, Taiwan bodies ahead of Busan
The National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) has partnered with the Singapore Film Commission (SFC), the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) for the inaugural Malaysian Development Lab for Fiction Feature Films (mylab).
Thoughts on Films, Feb 2021
Podcast hosted by Fikri Jemardi
Thoughts on Films – Episode 73:
LET’S TALK ABOUT BURUNG - BURUNG
Happy Lunar New Year to all! Fikri and Ezzah kick off the new cycle with a discussion of ‘Burung-Burung’ by Anwar Johari Ho.
Having officially premiered at the 15th Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival in November 2020, they connect the film with Anwar’s previous efforts, like ‘Forget Me Not’ and ‘Unforgettable’ (which he produced).
In addition to an analysis of the film’s style and substance, Fikri and Ezzah also consider the significance of the film’s locations and the idea of home, the concept of merantau, and the link between instant noodle and love.
SHORT FILM REVIEW: BURUNG-BURUNG
(2020) BY ANWAR JOHARI HO
An Indonesian immigrant in a coastal city has become morose at his current situation. Both struggling with money and the realization that he will have to part ways with his foreign lover, the two take one last boat ride to reflect on their time together.
Asian Movie Pulse, by Adam Symchuk
Thoughts on Films, May 2020
It’s complicated, by fikri jermadi
Fikri Jermadi unpacks the nostalgia and longing in Anwar Johari Ho’s debut film.
“Sure, it’s like home. But at the same time, it’s not.” Yilei, Forget Me Not.
theSundaily, July 2020
His true passion, by bissme s.
ANWAR JOHARI HO is a Malaysian filmmaker of Bajau-Chinese descent from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
The 24-year-old lad has a Masters in Film. He graduated from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.
Asian Movie Pulse, by Adriana Rosati
Short Film Review: Unforgettable
(2019) by Eleanor Teh
This brief snapshot of a moment is the directorial work of Eleanor Teh, who co-wrote with director Anwar Johari Ho another short movie called “Forget Me Not”, a three-part account – from start to end – of a love story between two young expatriates in London, a Malaysian Chinese and a Chinese Mainlander.
Although this review should look at “Unforgettable” as a work per se, it is rather difficult not to notice that this is an ideal fourth episode of the other short, featuring the same protagonist and quoting “Forget Me Not” in short flashbacks.
Asian Movie Pulse, by Adriana Rosati
Short Film Review: Forget me not
(2019) by Anwar johari ho
This elegant short film is set in London and the story follows a couple of lovers over a period of years, between 1996 and the beginning of the new millennium. Split in three chapters, simply named One, Two and Three, it describes the disintegrating love affair between two young expatriates, a Malaysian Chinese and a Chinese Mainlander.
Thoughts on Films, May 2020
Podcast hosted by Fikri Jemardi
Thoughts on Films – Episode 64: An
Inner View with Anwar Johari Ho
Selamat Hari Raya to all! Recorded at the end of Ramadhan, this episode is a special interview with Anwar Johari Ho, the director of ‘Forget Me Not’.
They delve deeper into Anwar’s film, discussing issues related to Chineseness, how it relates to his own personal contexts, and the peaks and troughs experienced in making the film.
Sindie Singapore, September 2019
Next New Wave Award for Best
Sound | Forget Me Not by Anwar
Johari Ho
Jury remarks: Forget Me Not’s nuanced treatment of sound allows its silence and whispers to speak volumes, with its use of sound and space offering an insight into the passage of time across geography.