Southeast Asian Studio Launches Romantic Comedy with Global Ambitions

A Malaysia-U.K. film company has introduced its debut ambitious feature film, representing a important milestone for Southeast Asia’s cinema on the global stage. “Finding Mojo,” a romantic-comedy film directed by Min Lim, will open nationwide in Malaysia on 23 July, followed by releases in Singapore on 31 July and Indonesia subsequently. The film, made by Double Vision’s newly created Sympatico label in association with veteran British producer Richard Johns, constitutes the studio’s first feature offering and indicates the company’s intention to compete on the global market. With Min Lim now serving as group CEO of the freshly rebranded Vision Entertainment Group, the production underscores the region’s rising confidence in telling locally rooted stories with international market appeal.

A Malaysian-British Collaboration Marks Fresh Creative Direction

“Finding Mojo” constitutes a pivotal turning point for Min Lim, who has spent over two decades as a producer on acclaimed TV adaptations including “The Bridge” and “Liar.” Making the transition to feature film direction, Lim has crafted a story that balances mainstream attractiveness with authentic Southeast Asian storytelling. The narrative follows Adi, a company executive at a dairy company whose internet sensation—a cow named Mojo—becomes central to an unexpected romance. When the company’s aggressive acquisition strategy clashes with a village’s reluctance to sell, Adi is deployed in disguise, only to become attracted to the farmer’s daughter and reconsider his own aspirations.

The film project itself demonstrates the cross-border partnership that Double Vision imagines for upcoming work. Filmed predominantly across Perlis, Malaysia’s smallest state, the film brought together artistic professionals from six different nations, including UK-based editor Chris Gill, US-based composer Sam Anderson, and Armenian VFX supervisor Tigran Badalyan. This varied team brought expert knowledge to a distinctly Malaysian story, illustrating how regional productions can tap into top-tier professionals without moving to established production centres. Lim attributes his production experience for informing his directorial philosophy, prioritising collaborative working spaces over autocratic control.

• Indonesian actor Adipati Dolken heads the cast with Malaysian actress Mimi Lana
• Screenplay penned by Honey Ahmad, with Zahir Omar as executive producer
• Astro Shaw handles Malaysian distribution; SC Films International manages international sales
• Lim’s first directorial effort follows two decades producing television adaptations

The History Behind the Finding Mojo

At its centre, “Finding Mojo” is a modern romance that interrogates the tension between business aspirations and personal values. The titular Mojo is no ordinary cow—she’s a viral sensation whose online profile has made her a cultural icon. When a dairy company’s aggressive takeover approach threatens a village’s agricultural heritage, the narrative pivots from business humour into something more emotionally resonant. Adi’s covert operation becomes a journey of self-discovery, compelling him to face whether success defined by profit margins truly matters when weighed against genuine personal relationships.

The film’s location in Perlis, Malaysia’s tiniest and most rural state, grounds the story in a distinct regional and social context. Rather than relying on generic countryside settings, the script penned by Honey Ahmad draws from the region’s farming heritage and local customs for storytelling authenticity. The setting involving smallholder opposition against business expansion reflects real fiscal difficulties confronting Southeast Asian farming areas, giving the love story a significant social weight. This integration of local specificity with universal romantic themes presents “Finding Mojo” as a uniquely regional addition to global cinema.

Ensemble and Creative Team

The talented ensemble combines recognised performers from across Southeast Asia. Indonesian actor Adipati Dolken anchors the narrative as Adi, whilst Malaysian actress Mimi Lana portrays the country farmer’s daughter who wins his affection. Veteran Malaysian actor Wan Hanafi anchors the supporting cast, which features Namron, Dato A. Tamimi Serigar, Aziz M. Osman, Tony Eusoff, Gambit Saifullah and Farah Ahmad. This strategy of regional casting emphasises Double Vision’s dedication to nurturing regional talent whilst maintaining commercial appeal across Southeast Asian markets.

Min Lim’s Creative Direction and Regional Aspirations

“Finding Mojo” represents a major achievement for Min Lim, who takes the director’s chair for the first occasion as feature film director after two decades as a producer on celebrated television adaptations including “The Bridge” and “Liar.” Rather than regarding this transition as a significant change, Lim describes it as a organic progression rooted in extensive industry experience. Her producing background has equipped her with a sophisticated understanding of ensemble filmmaking, where the director’s role centres not on having all answers but on creating an setting where actors and crew members can perform at their peak performance. This philosophy underpins her approach to “Discovering Mojo,” where approximately 90 percent of production occurred in Perlis—Malaysia’s smallest state.

The production’s international reach highlights Vision Entertainment Group’s expanded vision for Southeast Asian cinema on the international market. The crew comprising professionals from six countries—including British editor Chris Gill, American composer Sam Anderson, and Armenian VFX supervisor Tigran Badalyan—showcases how local narratives can attract world-class talent. Min Lim’s directorial debut arrives at a transformative period for Southeast Asian filmmaking, with the studio operating as a link between regional stories and global audiences. This two-market approach, paired with the Malaysia-U.K. partnership through Sympatico, reflects confidence that distinctly regional stories possess worldwide appeal capable of captivating audiences far beyond Asia.

• 20 years producing television before directing debut
• 90 per cent filming in Perlis, Malaysia’s smallest state
• International crew from six countries including UK, US, Armenia
• Sympatico label signifies Malaysia-U.K. production partnership
• Vision Entertainment Group developing future projects with well-known actors

Creating a Studio with International Presence

Double Vision’s transformation into Vision Entertainment Group marks a deliberate alignment of the studio’s objectives across diverse media platforms and global territories. The rebranding establishes Min Lim as group CEO of an operation with almost 40 years of Malaysian television production credentials, now able to operate on a worldwide basis. The establishment of Sympatico, a dedicated Malaysia-U.K. production label developed alongside veteran British producer Richard Johns, represents a deliberate move towards co-production models that harness creative capabilities and assets from various regions. This organisational development enables the studio to create content with built-in international resonance whilst maintaining creative authenticity grounded in Southeast Asian storytelling.

The release approach for “Finding Mojo” exemplifies this international infrastructure in operation. Astro Shaw manages Malaysian and regional distribution, whilst SC Films International manages sales across territories outside Southeast Asia, creating a two-pronged strategy that optimises each region’s particular requirements. This dual-pathway model permits Vision Entertainment Group to optimise both regional penetration and worldwide distribution in parallel. The phased rollout across Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia demonstrates confidence in the film’s appeal across varied audiences throughout Southeast Asia, whilst the international sales arrangement reflects the company’s belief that its content demonstrate market potential for Western regions and global markets.

Expanding Beyond Film

Vision Entertainment Group’s portfolio reaches well beyond “Finding Mojo,” with Sympatico currently developing “Emergency,” a restricted run starring British actor Luke Evans. This expansion into prestige television showcases the studio’s focus on multiple platforms and formats, leveraging its core competencies in television production across four decades. The participation of established international talent signals the studio’s ability to draw high-profile performers for productions grounded in Southeast Asian creative vision, further validating its status as a authentically worldwide production entity.

Release Strategy and Market Position

The carefully orchestrated rollout across Southeast Asia reflects Vision Entertainment Group’s detailed comprehension of territorial market trends. Beginning with Malaysia on 23 July before proceeding to Singapore a week later, the phased rollout allows the studio to establish pace and obtain market insights across different markets. This systematic growth approach, coupled with continued Indonesian distribution deals, positions “Finding Mojo” as a authentic multi-territory release rather than a single-territory production, whilst SC Films International’s involvement in international sales signals the studio’s confidence in the film’s crossover potential beyond the region.