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Pavane for an Infant: Fish Liew in absorbing Malaysian ‘baby hatch’ drama
3/5 stars
By turns absorbing and unsatisfying, Malaysian drama Pavane for an Infant throws a spotlight on a thankless vocation in dire need of compassionate support, but does so at the expense of a propulsive narrative upon which to hang its pointed observations.
Malaysian-born actress Fish Liew Chi-yu returns to her homeland after developing a robust career in the Hong Kong film industry to play a worker at a baby hatch centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Amid this vibrant, multicultural society, the services of this facility – where babies can be anonymously left – are in constant demand, but they also draw ire and violent criticism from some sectors who condemn their work as amoral and in direct violation of religious traditions.
Pavane for an Infant is written and directed by Chong Keat Aun, who made a splash with his previous feature, Snow in Midsummer (2023), which addressed the violent post-election protests that ravaged the Malaysian capital back in 1969.
Chong’s new film reinforces his intention to dissect his nation’s complex identity, where Muslims, Christians, Hindus and a variety of indigenous groups wrestle to live together harmoniously.
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