Young women talents serve up chills with ‘Sup Daging’

2026-03-15 - 00:44

‘Sup Daging’ is a short horror film by Gen Z creatives Chloee Pang and Maimunah Wahab. (Ampersand Advisory pic) KUALA LUMPUR: A new Malaysian short film titled “Sup Daging” is serving up chills while shining a spotlight on emerging creative talent. Released by Ampersand Advisory in conjunction with International Women’s Day, the psychological short horror film also promotes CUT!, the agency’s short film competition aimed at encouraging young storytellers to experiment with the genre. Blending suspense with atmospheric cinematography, “Sup Daging” follows a mysterious woman whose routine trip to buy ingredients slowly spirals into a disturbing and eerie narrative. Farhan Syaza and team shot the film on Canon cameras, with Canon Marketing Malaysia supporting the project by sponsoring prizes for the CUT! horror film competition. In a fitting nod to International Women’s Day, the idea behind the film came from two of Ampersand Advisory’s Gen Z creatives – Chloee Pang and Maimunah Wahab – who conceptualised and scripted the story. “Sup Daging is not just a horror story; it is a celebration of new voices and bold storytelling,” said Ampersand Advisory CEO and co-founder Sandeep Joseph. “We conceptualised CUT! as a platform where young creatives could experiment with ideas. It’s especially meaningful that this film is driven by female creators and a strong female lead. “Women hold up more than half the world, and they do so even at Ampersand Advisory.” Promising new acting talent, Yasmin Hölterhoff, makes her screen debut in ‘Sup Daging’. (Ampersand Advisory pic) The short film also introduces Yasmin Hölterhoff, whose debut screen performance anchors the film’s suspenseful story. Launched by Ampersand Advisory, CUT! invites filmmakers in Malaysia to submit horror films under five minutes in length, offering a platform for young creatives to showcase their storytelling and filmmaking skills. “There is a profound magic in seeing a childhood urban tale evolve into a cinematic experience. For me, ‘Sup Daging’ represents the moment a story outgrows the page and takes on a life of its own,” said Chloee Pang, script writer of CUT! Sup Daging. “My hope is that this film inspires aspiring female creators to stop waiting for permission and start writing. CUT! gave me the platform to For Maimunah, the experience of working on the film – from writing the script to collaborating with a full production crew – was a valuable creative journey. “My hope is that CUT! inspires others to take that first step, be brave enough to pursue their ideas and express their creativity. If this film motivates even one person to chase their dream, then it has already done something meaningful,” Maimunah said. ‘Sup Daging’ follows a mysterious woman whose routine trip to buy ingredients for her soup slowly takes on an eerie narrative. (Ampersand Advisory pic) Directed by Tengku Umar and Sandeep, “Sup Daging” continues Ampersand Advisory’s tradition of producing pro bono films for International Women’s Day. In the past, the agency has made films on the Picha Project, January Low, Poesy Liang, as well as women environmentalists, highlighting the power of words to restrict and inhibit women. The agency won 201 awards in 2025 alone, including 9 x #1 Agency of the Year titles. Over 60% of the agency’s staff are women, and the management team has a majority of women. Ampersand Advisory continues to push boundaries, demonstrating that creativity can thrive not just in campaigns and media, but also in film, culture and storytelling. “Agencies and their people have a role in culture and society, and we’re happy to play our humble part,” said Sandeep. Sup Daging will premiere online, while submissions for the CUT! competition remain open until March 31. Watch ‘Sup Daging’ online here. Enter the CUT! competition, open until March 31, at this site.