# La Luna (2023 film)

La Luna is a 2023 Malay-language romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by M. Raihan Halim. The film stars Shaheizy Sam and Sharifah Amani.
The film was released on 9 November 2023 in Malaysia, 16 November in Singapore and 6 December 2023 in Indonesia. It was selected as the Singaporean entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards, but was not nominated.

## Plot

Life in the small village of Kampong Bras Basah is dictated by the deeply religious and socially conservative views of village chief Tok Hassan. However, the status quo changes when businesswoman Hanie arrives in town and renovates her grandfather's old house into a lingerie shop named La Luna, which is for female customers only and which Hanie sees as a safe space for the village's women.
Hanie becomes friends with the town's head policeman Salihin and his teenage daughter Azura, who begins to work part-time at La Luna. Hanie also provides support to Yam, a villager who is being abused by her husband Pa'at. Yam eventually leaves her husband and stays with Hanie, who rebuffs Pa'at and Hassan's attempts at reconciliation.
Eventually La Luna becomes a success as it attracts customers from across the region, and becomes popular with Kampong Bras Basah's women after an amorous husband and wife, whose sex life has been reignited by La Luna's lingerie, accidentally broadcasts their lovemaking session over the village mosque's loudspeakers. However this incident causes an outraged Hassan to condemn the shop, seeing it as an example of outside moral decay that will take over the village. He draws up a petition to the local government to shut down La Luna, but most of the villagers decline to sign it, having seen a general improvement in village life because of it and Hanie's presence. Although Fauzi, the local ustaz is compelled to sign it by Hassan, he withdraws his name after witnessing Hassan offering a bribe to an official. Without an utaz's signature, Hassan's petition is unable to move forward and La Luna remains open.
While Hanie, Salihin and many of the villagers attend an outdoor film screening, an arsonist sets La Luna on fire with Azura still working inside. Salihin pulls her to safety but La Luna burns to the ground. Suspicion falls on Pa'at after they discover that he had purchased cans of petrol, and later that night he confronts a defiant Yam with a gun, telling her that without La Luna she is no longer safe. However he cannot bring himself to shoot her and Salihin disarms him.
The next day Salihin confronts Hassan in the mosque, claiming that in the rubble of La Luna he had found one of Hassan's cigarette lighters and while Pa'at did plan to burn down La Luna, it was Hassan who actually lit the fire, intending to blame it on Pa'at. Hassan tells Salihin that he didn't know Azura was inside, but even if he knew he still would have started the blaze. He takes back the lighter, telling Salihin that this is the only evidence that he has over him, unaware that his confession had been broadcast to the village over the mosque's loudspeakers. In front of the entire village, Hassan is arrested and taken away.
Hanie tells Salihin that she is leaving Kampong Bras Basah but finds the entire village out rebuilding La Luna and decides to stay. The shop sees continued success and in prison Hassan finds himself making lingerie for the brand. Life in the village continues with the residents embracing a slightly more liberal lifestyle.

## Cast

* Shaheizy Sam as Salihin Arshad
* Sharifah Amani as Hanie Abdullah
* Wan Hanafi Su as Tok Hassan
* Hisyam Hamid as Pa'at
* Nadiya Nissa as Yam
* Nam Ron as Ayob
* Farah Ahmad as Enah
* Iedil Dzuhrie Alaudin as Ustaz Fauzi
* Wafiy Ilhan as Yazid
* Syumaila Salihin as Azura Salihin
* Bella Rahim as Peah
* Elza Irdalynna as Jenab
* Nizam Hashim as Eunos

## Production

This film was produced by 4 companies: Clover Films and Papahan Films from Singapore, ACT 2 Pictures from Malaysia and One Cool Film from Hong Kong.

### Development

Raihan Halim, the film director wrote the story and screenplay himself. Raihan told Cinema Online,
   "La Luna is a story that has been playing in my mind for almost a decade. It has the same theme as my first film, "Banting", in showcasing Malay Muslim stories with unexpected storylines. The story of a lingerie store that can change a society was funny at first... but then it became an attraction for me."
   "I'm incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to work with such great talents in the region, and I can't wait to introduce La Luna to the world."
He also told Malaysiakini that this film has its own unique style even though he admitted the film is a bit naughty.

### One Cool Film

Massive improvement within the Malaysian film industry attracted Hong Kong-based film company One Cool Film to invest in the film in collaboration with 3 other companies. Lim Teck of Clover Films was grateful with the support of One Cool Film and also gave feedback to the film.
One Cool Film later begun operation in Malaysia on 20 April with The Locksmith as its first feature filmed in the country and La Luna as its first Singapore-Malaysia co-production.

### Filming

Principal photography took 22 days in Perak.

## Release

The film was released on 9 November 2023 with Skop Productions distributing for the Malaysian market while Golden Village Pictures picked up distribution rights and released on 16 November 2023 in Singapore. The film was also selected at the Tokyo International Film Festival, and Jakarta Film Week and Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival in Indonesia.

## Reception
### Critical response

The film received positive reviews from critics. Noel Wong, writing for Free Malaysia Today, wrote: "A good chunk of laughs are derived from the sexual repression of the villagers, thanks to Tok Hassan’s oppressive rules. Hanie’s arrival, therefore, brings a breath of fresh air to the village’s bedrooms".