Local producers – Fullmoon Pictures (M) Sdn. Bhd. (Fullmoon Pictures) held a celebration to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Malaysia’s successful ascent to Mount Everest in 1997. In conjunction with this celebration, they launched an RM150 million media franchise under “The SUMMIT-97” campaign in the presence of YB Senator Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports (KBS); YBrs. Tuan Zakaria Abdul Hamid, Chairman of National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS); and other government officials, including High Commissioners and Ambassadors from various countries.
Starting their operations some four years ago, Fullmoon Pictures was moved by the stories of the local climbers and is set to bring justice to their heroic journey through life-threatening weathers and terrains, in an effort to put Malaysia on the map. Despite their tremendous efforts, many are unaware of this historic event; even Wikipedia has yet to recognize it. Hence, Fullmoon Pictures is embarking on a mission to raise awareness on this matter and allow for yet another reason for the rakyat to be proud of its country.
Izzat Hazim, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Fullmoon Pictures, said, “Make no mistake, the climb to Mount Everest in 1997 is as deadly as its reputation. We were only able to fully understand their struggles during our research on this heroic story which includes interviews, articles, and documentaries, it was truly an eye-opener to us. The concept of climbing the tallest mountain in the world while facing horrendous weather is just the tip of the iceberg. Not many understand the whole training process, the cost behind it, mental preparation, and the level of synergy that is involved in this whole journey.”
As such, “The SUMMIT-97” campaign was established to enable viewers to grasp the challenges and struggles faced during the climb through the production of – animation films, documentaries, books, original soundtracks, feature films, behind the scenes footage, and game applications. RM100 million was allocated for the feature film itself, titled – PEAK OF HEAVEN, to bring in international celebrities such as – A. R. Rahman, Guy Sebastian, Henry Golding, Phedon Papamichael, and more, making it a world-class production that is suited to international audiences.
During these past four years, a comprehensive case study was initiated to better understand the consumer’s interest in the subject matter; according to the findings, “The SUMMIT-97” media franchise is capable of catching the eyes of 98 million viewers worldwide. On top of that, they will also be incorporating StageCraft technology to recreate a hyper-realistic atmosphere of Mount Everest in real-time. In doing so, they are expecting to create a highly impactful film, one that will set the benchmark for the entire entertainment industry in Southeast Asia as PEAK OF HEAVEN is expected to set five (5) Guinness World Records upon completion.
Tuan Zakaria Abdul Hamid, Chairman of National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS), said, “Fullmoon Pictures portrays an important message, which is to always keep a mindset of pushing to international success and never losing sight of goals, just like them setting Guinness World Records through the feature film – PEAK OF HEAVEN, the First Technology Film in Southeast Asia to use STAGECRAFT (The Volume) shooting technique.”
YB Senator Dato’ Sri Ti Lian Ker, Deputy Minister of Youth & Sports (KBS), said, “I would like to express the significance of “The Summit-97” campaign. It is a story with values that not just athletes, but every individual can apply in their daily lives, and it is something Malaysia can take pride in. I believe Malaysia is made up of people with astounding athletic capabilities that we have yet to unleash on the world. ”
This event was made possible through the Malaysia Tourism Centre (MaTiC), which was an official sponsor of the venue. For more information, visit https://www.fullmoonpic.com/