KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — The Award for Excellent Achievement in Film at the Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) honours individuals who have made impactful and ongoing contributions to cinema — Indonesian actor Reza Rahadian proudly received the honour at this year’s eighth edition.
A prominent name in Indonesian cinema, he has earned numerous accolades throughout his career, including Best Actor at the 2017 Asia-Pacific Film Festival and multiple Citra Awards, often described as Indonesia’s equivalent to the Oscars—and adding this MIFFest honour to his repertoire marks yet another achievement.
In an exclusive interview with Malay Mail, Reza stated that receiving the Award marked a moment of deep reflection on his two-decade-long career, and the trust and opportunities that have shaped it.
“For me personally, it’s a moment to reflect — to pay attention to the people who brought me here today,” he shared.
“It’s definitely not just because of myself, it’s because I was given the opportunity—someone opened the doors for me so I could enter.
“That trust is something I’ve built and I’m humbled to be recognised,” he added.
A South-east Asian cinematic footprint
The influence of the acclaimed actor has extended well beyond Indonesia, resonating with audiences across Southeast Asia, which includes Malaysia, where his roles in Indonesian titles such as 2016’s My Stupid Boss (partially filmed in Malaysia), Habibie & Ainun (2012), and Siksa Kubur (2024) are especially appreciated.
He also starred in 2014’s Yasmine, widely regarded as Brunei’s first-ever feature film, where he portrayed the character Fahri, marking his first international film outside Indonesia.
Aside from these successful films, he is also known for playing the character Tony in HBO’s dark fantasy series Halfworlds, a show he fondly misses.
Filmed across multiple Southeast Asian locations—including Batam and Thailand—the show brought together a diverse cast from Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, which Reza values, often catching up with fellow actors across the Asean community.
“As Asean itself, we need to build our world of cinema.
“We have a big opportunity to say something to the world of cinema—that we, Asean, have great talents here and great stories,” he added.
“We are among the nations that share a lot of culture, race, and that is a very strong point of view to share with the world of cinema.”
Interest in Malaysian productions and sharing the screen with local actors
Given his growing presence in the region, Reza is eager to star in a Malaysian-made film and collaborate with local directors, producers, and filmmakers.
Malaysian actor and MIFFest ambassador Bront Palarae is someone he would like to share the screen with in such a project.
“I would also like to work with Sharifah Amani.
“I have watched one or two of her films, and she is a wonderful actress,” he added.
What does MIFFest mean to you personally?
“It’s an important festival that opens a lot of opportunities, especially for Asian actors and filmmakers to make their mark in whatever they achieve in their careers,” said Reza.
“I’ve seen nine films, I think how the committee decides what kind of films should be selected in this festival, personally, to me, was magnificent.
“There are good statements in the film, and there are a lot of issues that we need to bring up because, through cinema, you can voice a lot of things.
“I think personally, to me, that’s what I feel connected to the festival, to me it’s like another mark of my personal journey as an actor,” he added.
Going forward
Fresh off completing the Indonesian film Pangku, which marks his directorial debut, Reza hopes to continue pursuing other aspects of filmmaking.
“As much as I love acting, I can’t lie that I love directing after finishing this film,” he said, adding that we can expect more directing from him going forward.
“I love cinema so much, and I love working — I’m humbled and just lucky, if I can say that, to be able to work in such an artistic industry — such an artistic world — and you know that you love the job.
“I don’t wanna take things for granted, and I have no words other than humbleness,” he concluded.
