KUALA LUMPUR – The Last Dive, which is expected to hit local cinemas on Dec 3 in conjunction with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, highlights how physical disabilities need not prevent people from exploring the underwater world.
Executive producer Datin Dr Wendy Wong said the film, inspired by a true story, features five persons with disabilities (PwDs) who performed their own underwater diving scenes without relying on visual effects (VFX) to recreate the underwater setting or action.
"They are real persons with disabilities who bring their own life experiences into the film. They do not want sympathy; they simply need opportunities to demonstrate their abilities,” she told Bernama recently.
Wendy said the idea for the film emerged after she met a diving instructor at a film festival in the United States in 2022. The instructor shared the story of a woman who used a wheelchair and was battling terminal cancer but wanted to experience diving before she died.
"The woman used a wheelchair and had limited mobility on land. However, when she dived, she felt happy because she could move freely underwater.
"Despite having terminal cancer, she wanted to try something that many would consider impossible. Her words that it might be her last dive inspired the film’s title,” she said.
Wendy said about 90 per cent of the filming was conducted at Pulau Lang Tengah and Pulau Bidong in Terengganu, with support from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. All cast members and crew involved in underwater scenes had to undergo training and obtain diving licences.
She said the film also highlights the threat posed by rubbish to marine ecosystems, including fish and turtles that become trapped in waste or die after ingesting human refuse.
"The film is not merely entertainment. Audiences will gain knowledge whose value cannot be measured by the price of a cinema ticket alone. We may not be able to do something big to save the oceans, but we can start by not littering,” she said.
However, Wendy admitted that she had nearly abandoned the project, which began with research in 2022, due to financial constraints, as the funding received covered only a small portion of the overall production costs.
"Whenever I felt like giving up, I thought about marine life, such as turtles that die after becoming entangled in rubbish. That strengthened my resolve to continue the project and deliver its environmental message,” she said.
Before its Malaysian release, the film was screened at a special event in Cannes, France, last May, followed by a screening in Beijing, China, in September under a programme organised by the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas).
The film was also featured in a special screening organised by the Selangor state government through the Selangor Special Needs Foundation (YANIS). The event was attended by Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, Royal Patron of YANIS, alongside members of the PwD community, children with special needs and their families.
"We never expected such a positive response. Audiences not only praised the underwater visuals, which they described as being on par with Hollywood productions, but also appreciated the film’s strong marine conservation message.
"This has given us confidence that Malaysian productions can find acceptance in international markets,” she said.
Produced by Produksi Seni Duapuluh-Duapuluh Sdn Bhd, The Last Dive tells the story of Faiz, a former footballer who becomes paralysed following a hit-and-run accident, and Amelia, a scuba diving instructor who helps persons with disabilities explore the underwater world.
Conflict arises when their boat operator, Kamal, is discovered to be involved in fish bombing and coral theft, as well as having links to the accident that changed Faiz’s life.
The film stars Shiqin Kamal, Aniq Durar, Fify Azmi, Amerul Affendi and Sandra Lim, with special appearances by Datuk Dr Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi and singer Fauziah Latiff. –BERNAMA