Despite receiving state funding of RM3.5 million, historical biopic Rentap which commenced filming two years ago has yet to be completed.

As a result, those involved in the film have not received their dues.

At a press conference organised by Persatuan Karyawan Malaysia (Karyawan), those involve said that production house Unique Twins Sdn Bhd owes them up to RM75,000 in unpaid fees.

According to actress Azliyuszaini Mohd Noor, better known as Yuzz, the producers owe her RM5,000, for scenes which were recorded last June.

“The delay in production is caused by the production house itself, but has caused me a loss,” she said.

Meanwhile, Fretwork Production, an agency which supplies foreign talent to local production houses said that Fretwork has had to pay the actors it supplied out of its own pocket.

“We sustained losses of RM20,000 after we supplied ‘mat salleh’ (Caucasian) actors for the film,” Fretwork director Nabilah Ibrahim said.

Lake Tembling Travel Sdn Bhd, which supplied accommodation during the filming claimed the producer still owes Lake Tembling Travel RM50,000.

Lake Tembling Travel’s director Abdullah Chik said that the company also supplied catering service for the film crew.

“At first, the production house said only 40 crew members will be involved and paid us RM7,000.

“But on the day of filming, 120 crew members showed up. Their accommodation, costing RM20,000, was also unpaid for,” he said.

Karyawan president Freddie Fernandez, also present at the press conference, urged the producer to meet with the actors and suppliers to resolve the matter.

He said that it is especially important as the film received funding from the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas).

'We haven’t finished filming'

Meanwhile, BH Online reported that production house Unique Twins, owned by actress Diana Johor and her sister Lina, questioned why there was no attempt to discuss the issue amicably.

“Their claim that I did not answer phone calls is untrue. My phone is always on,” she is quoted as saying.

“I can’t believe they would take such a route. Karyawan, too, should have contacted me directly, but they claimed they could not reach me. This is all nonsense.

“What I did get from Karyawan was a message asking me to contact them. Why couldn’t they contact me to explain to me what happened? This is unprofessional,” she said.

The portal also quoted her as saying that filming was done over two weeks last June in Kuala Tahan, Pahang but was postponed to November.

“We have 80 scenes in this film, but only 20 scenes were completed in June. We were supposed to film four scenes in a day, but only managed to film a scene a day. This is a loss for the production house.

“Things which were not necessary were included. Can you imagine, extras who were supposed to arrive the day before shooting (their scene) were there 10 days prior?

“So it became disorganised. Due to that, we delayed filming to further study what we need and we don’t need,”  

On Yuzz’s claim, she said that the remainder 50 percent of the payment cannot be made as she has not completed all her scenes.

 

“How are we supposed to make all the payments when the scenes, which she is involved in is not yet complete?

“We also did not hire Abdullah Chik as set coordinator. He needs to show proof,” she said.

Rentap, a biopic on a Sarawak warrior’s fight for independence, is directed by Hashim Rejap and features actors Zachery Francis, Livonia Ricky and Jasmine Chin.

NADIA OTHMAN is a trainee journalist at Malaysiakini .